Forks and Frustration
by SunniGummi
Summary: The Cullen's just moved to Forks and Edward isn't exactly thrilled about it. When he lets his temper get out of hand, Carlisle needs to take action. Warning: contains spanking. If it offends you, do not read!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys!**

**I thought it would be the right time to post something new :-) **

**This is a story based on accountingprofessional's wish! (Carlisle walking in on Edward and Esme arguing.) I did my best and I hope it turned out the way you imagined!**

**EVERYBODY: I hope you enjoy reading it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight!**

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><p>"I'll be back soon," Edward informed his mother casually and walked through the living room towards the kitchen, his keys clinking in his hand.<p>

Esme sat on the couch, currently going through a gardening magazine.

Merely two weeks ago they moved to this little town called Forks. Carlisle had a job at Forks Community Hospital, the children were enrolled in Forks High and Esme busied herself with perfecting the house. It looked cosy and wonderful, so now it was time to take care of the garden.

But there were so many ways to perfect the garden that she had trouble deciding on what she wanted it to look like.

_Maybe a formal garden? Or a rampant one? A Chinese garden looked nice, but would it go well together with the style of the house? Hm ... maybe an English garden then? Or a mixture of both?_

"Where are you going, dear?" Esme asked and slowly peeled her eyes away from the magazine, still deep in thought about different styles, flowerbeds and fountains.

_A fountain ... but wouldn't it lose its appeal when there was the river nearby? Yes, probably. It wouldn't look right. Too bad, fountains were pretty._

"Just outside. I won't be long," he answered and hoped her thoughts about the garden distracted her enough so she would let him go without further questions.

"Edward," she said with a sigh. But when she saw him walking on, she called after him. "Edward? Please come back here for a moment."

He moaned quietly, knowing exactly what she assumed he was about to do, and he had to admit that she was right. Slowly turning around on the spot, he faced his Mom.

She closed her magazine and put it on the coffee table, then stood up from the couch and took a few steps to close the distance between them.

"Are these the keys for the Volvo?" she asked and eyed the silvery thing that poked out from his fist.

He turned his head away, already knowing what she was about to say.

Esme looked at him with sad eyes and reached out to rub his upper arm comfortingly. "You know you cannot drive the car just yet."

He huffed. They had that talk so many times already. Sure, he should know better by now and just accept the fact that he couldn't drive his car for the next few months. But sometimes his frustration came to the surface and he tried again to plead his case. Or he just did whatever he wanted instead - it depended on his mood and temper.

"Edward, it's only for a few months. They'll be over in no time and then you can drive your new car."

He scowled at his mother's words. Sure, she always tried to comfort him and he loved her for that, but right now it was just infuriating.

He took a step back to break the physical contact.

She sighed and let her hand drop back to her side, sad that she didn't succeed in comforting him but she had half expected it already. He seemed on edge and it was hard to see him that way, but what could she do? He would just have to wait for a while.

"It is _my_ car," he grumbled.

"Yes, it is, dear. But that doesn't change the fact that you cannot drive it yet."

"Mom! You are being unreasonable!" he suddenly exclaimed, frustrated with his mother because she obviously didn't understand.

This town was just as boring as every other place they have ever lived in. Going to school was nothing but a dreadful job that had to be done and staying home all the time had lost its charm long ago.

All he wanted was to take his gorgeous car for a spin. He wanted to feel the smooth leather of the steering wheel under his fingers, hear the purr of the engine when he accelerated, pushing his silver beauty as fast as it would go. He had begged Esme to help him get this car, even though he knew it would stay in the garage.

"Edward, your father didn't want you to have the new car before you would officially be able to drive it; he had his doubts. I only convinced him to get it for you early because you promised to start out as fifteen again," she reminded him. They moved to Forks just a few weeks ago, and Edward was already unhappy. Driving would lift his mood and she knew it, but they needed to keep up appearances.

He clenched his jaw before replying, "I changed my mind."

"You are already enrolled in school, you cannot change your mind now. Just be patient."

Pah.

_Just be patient._ He had heard that sentence more times than he could count. _Just be patient._

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, trying to keep the irritation that was building up at bay.

But it did not work.

"You have no idea how hard it is!" he burst out angrily and gestured around with his hands. "And Rosalie is always teasing me when she drives us to school, she never stops!"

"I will talk to her," Esme assured, nodding her head to show him that she took it seriously.

These two were always bickering and teasing each other. She and Carlisle had hoped it would get better with time and they would eventually stop, but they had the feeling that it got even worse.

"That is not the point!" he complained. "My car is standing in the garage, all ready to be driven, and you want to keep me from that!"

Esme could understand the frustration her son was feeling, but it wasn't fair of him to blame her for it and even vent his rage on her.

"Edward, did something happen today that aggravated you?" Esme queried carefully. Rosalie's teasing couldn't be the reason for this outburst, so she wanted to get to the bottom of it. Talking might help.

"Yes, my car standing in the garage and you keeping me from driving it," he said through gritted teeth.

"Oh Edward, please. Stop that now. Why don't you play the piano for a while, hm?" she suggested. Music always helped him to take his mind of things, so it might distract and calm him now. He surely couldn't _enjoy_ being miserable.

"No," he growled, turned away from her and made to leave the room again.

"Edward!" She called and hurried after him.

"Edward, you will stay here," Esme said decisively when she came to a halt in front of her son, blocking his way to the kitchen. She didn't like being strict with her youngest son, especially when he was upset, but she couldn't allow him to drive.

He lifted his head and scowled at her.

"I'll be careful. No one will see me, all right? Trust me."

"No, you will stay here. I cannot let you drive that car when the whole town thinks you are fifteen."

Completely annoyed, Edward exhaled loudly. "I won't drive through Forks."

"The police is not just in Forks, dear."

He groaned. "I can _hear_ them before they even know that a car is coming!"

But that information did not change Esme's mind. "I said No."

"_Why?_ It works perfectly. I didn't get caught yesterday, so I won't get caught today." He ground out, before realizing that, although he did have a point here, Esme definitely wasn't the right person to tell this to.

Oh, why did he just say that? The brief car ride yesterday made him cocky, there was no other explanation for it. Maybe he should have paid more attention to Alice's visions. But it was too late for that now.

Her eyes widened and she placed a hand on the kitchen counter as if to steady herself.

"You drove the Volvo?" She asked in disbelief and squinted at him.

He immediately shook his head. "No, I -"

She held up her hand to stop him. "Edward, please take a moment to think about what you are going to tell me now. I don't like to be lied to."

He swallowed nervously. In his Mom's eyes and mind he could see the determination to lecture him about lying if he would dare to do so, and he averted his eyes.

"You drove the car even though you know you are not allowed to?"

She could see his left eye twitching infinitesimally - he always did that when he contemplated something, but probably didn't notice himself.

"Please don't lie to me," she added in her usual soft voice.

It sounded almost pleading to Edward, and he looked up into her warm, golden eyes. No, he wouldn't be able to look at himself in the mirror ever again if he lied to her now. He was so blessed to have Esme as his mother, this warm-hearted, sympathetic woman.

Yes, _sympathetic_. She would understand his need to drive and forgive him, wouldn't she?

After reading her thoughts, he felt horrible.

He disobeyed her, but she was only worried about him being unhappy; there wasn't even the slightest trace of anger.

"Yesterday I drove to the beach and back again while you were hunting," he admitted, then looked her in the eye. "I'm sorry, Mom."

She folded her arms across her chest, eyes fixed on her son. "I cannot believe you would betray our trust like that."

He didn't need to be an empath to feel her disappointment. Of course she was disappointed, he broke his promise. It was selfish of him to ignore their agreement and he certainly felt bad about it ... but maybe she should try and put herself in his shoes for a change! He was older than the others, well, except for Jasper, and he still had to play the youngest member of the family along with Alice. Every time they moved - it wasn't fair.

Alice somehow didn't mind; every day was exciting and fun for her and she normally didn't drive much anyways.

But he enjoyed driving, he loved it - he _needed_ it. It was one of his favourite hobbies and it was vital for his sanity. Maybe that was a little bit exaggerated, but his new car was so perfect and beautiful that he could hardly contain himself. His bad conscience about driving without permission vanished gradually when he read Esme's current thoughts and heard her voice them just a second later.

"This cannot happen again, Edward. I know you love that car and want to drive it, but defying us and risk being seen is not the answer. You need to excercise patience."

Pausing for a moment to let this sink in, she then continued. "I want you to give me your keys now; you will get them back in a few months. Right now I cannot trust you to refrain from using them."

The room was silent, while Edward looked at her in disbelief. He hoped she wasn't serious.

But seeing in her mind that she was dead serious and not about to budge, he failed to keep his temper even. "Leave me alone."

When he turned away from her and wanted to round the counter to reach the door to the garage, Esme spoke up again. "Give me your car keys, please."

He stopped his movement, but did not face her and certainly did not comply with his mother's request.

She had one hand on her hip, while the other one was palm up in front of her, waiting for him to place his car keys in her open hand.

He could see himself through her eyes. Messy hair, keys clutched tightly in his hand and his jaw set. It was embarrassing to look like an obstinate child, it really was, but right then he couldn't care less. He was quite irritated with his mother and it was very hard not to yell at her right then.

Esme cleared her throat to let him know that she was still waiting.

She wished so much for him to just comply, so they could move on to talking. Something bothered him and it wouldn't get better anytime soon without addressing this matter.

But he remained petulant.

"Please Edward, hand me your keys," she said again when he did not move.

"No."

"Edward, I am serious. I think you are much too tempted to drive that car as long as you have the keys. Now give them to me."

"Stop treating me like a child!" he exclaimed, then wheeled around and took a long, calming breath before continuing. "I can judge for myself."

Esme shook her head. "Please do as I say. I don't wish to see you miserable anymore, so please hand me the keys."

"No!"

And that was when the argument started.

Neither of them noticed the black Mercedes driving up to the house.

Carlisle came home from a long day at the hospital. It had been quite stressful, but he liked it that way. And now he was looking forward to a calm, relaxing evening with his beautiful wife and children.

He waited for the garage door to pull up, before he drove on and parked his car in their spacious garage, right between Rosalie's BMW and Edward's new Volvo.

Wherever they moved, a big garage was an absolute necessity for this family.

After pulling the keys from the ignition and loosening his tie a little, he stepped out of the car and immediately heard a loud voice from the inside of the house. Somebody was shouting, he noticed, only interrupted by a calm and even voice, then shouting again.

_What was going on?_

There usually wasn't much arguing in their home, maybe the occasional bickering, but this here sounded much more severe.

It couldn't be Rosalie and Edward, because every time these two got into an argument, neither one of them could keep it down.

_"No! Stop asking this from me!"_

Yes, this was definitely Edward's voice, he noticed, and he was very unhappy with something.

_"Edward, do you wish to keep this up all night? Hand me the keys, now. I've had it with your defiance."_

So Edward was arguing with Esme.

Frowning, Carlisle walked up the flight of stairs and opened the door to the kitchen, hoping he could help settle the disagreement.

"And I've had it with your stupid requests!" Edward shouted right into his mother's face.

Carlisle's eyebrows immediately shot up in surprise. _This argument would stop right now_, he decided.

_What has gotten into Edward that he would disrespect his mother like that?_

He took a few long strides until he reached his wife and son.

Esme had her back to him, whereas he could see his son over his wife's shoulder.

Edward's eyes widened when he noticed him standing there.

"What's going on here?" Carlisle asked with a frown creasing his forehead and waited for a reply.

Esme turned around and her expression softened - she looked relieved that he was finally home.

And seeing that Edward was still gaping at him, he got the impression that Edward had done something that he wouldn't approve of.

"We are having a slight variance, Carlisle," Esme stated.

"And what seems to be the problem?"

Esme glanced at Edward, hoping he would snap out of it now and see reason. She was willing to keep his 'little trip' from the day before a secret from Carlisle, if he would only comply now and hand her the keys.

Thankfully her husband was here now and the argument was over. Edward wouldn't test his father's patience like he did hers, she was certain of that.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked, waiting for him to answer his question.

But instead of admitting what he and Esme had been arguing about, Edward averted his eyes.

At least he was calm now.

So Esme looked Carlisle in the eye and nodded once, indicating that the matter has been taken care of.

She closed the distance between herself and her son in a few strides, then gently took the car keys from his hand. He did not resist.

"Thank you, Edward," she said lovingly and ran her hand up and down his upper arm.

And then, before he could even realize what he was doing or where his anger was coming from, Edward ripped the keys from his mother's hand again and pushed past her on his way to the garage.

He heard a sharp intake of breath and the shocked gasp that escaped Esme's lips, but it didn't make him stop. He did not turn around to apologize, even though his shoulder had bumped hers.

With the keys in his hand, he was standing between his beautiful, brand-new silver Volvo and his Dad's Mercedes almost instantly.

All he wanted now was to get away from here as quickly as possible so he could think. He felt ashamed of himself, but didn't really know how to deal with that emotion right then.

_What was wrong with him?_

But before he could put the key into the keyhole of the driver's door, his father appeared in the garage and looked at him over the roof of the silver car.

"Edward!" he called, still trying to understand what he just witnessed. His son had forcefully taken the keys from Esme and then practically shoved her. It looked so rough that it was easily bordering on attacking her. "I want you to explain yourself."

Edward glowered at him. "Later."

"No. Edward, this behaviour is so unlike you. Let us go back inside and talk about what got you so riled up."

Edward blinked once and Carlisle could see that his son reached a decision.

He shoved the keys into the keyhole and Carlisle watched him, perplexed.

_Un-be-lievable. A perfect display of blatant disobedience._

So Carlisle walked quickly around the car and stopped next to the hood.

"Give me the keys, you will not drive this car just yet," he told him sternly.

"No."

And that was enough for Carlisle.

If Edward wasn't willing to comply, he would have to take matters into his own hand.

He took a step forward and reached out to take the keys from the keyhole, but Edward was quicker.

He forcefully pulled the keys out and reeled his arm back, out of his Dad's reach.

The sudden scratching sound that followed this action was nearly earsplitting.

Like fingernails on a blackboard.

Edward's eyes were wide with shock and, if possible, he turned even paler than usual. He gulped and stared at his father while slowly letting his hand sink to his side.

TBC...

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><p><strong>Phew!<strong>

**I'm so bad at finding the right stopping point, but I hope this one is okay :) **

**What do you think of the first chapter? **

**Please, please REVIEW! **


	2. Chapter 2

** Hey guys!**

**Thank you SO much for your reviews! I'm overwhelmed and shocked and ... I loved them ;-) **

**lirio de amor: This story won't involve an OC, but now that you mention it ... it does go along with my other stories. I didn't notice before, but it works, because she didn't move to Forks together with them. Ha, great :D**

**As for stories with the other ones ... not sure about that yet. I'm still working on a Rosalie-story, which is nowhere near done! After that we'll see. Maybe I'll do stories that I've already hinted at in my other stories ... we'll see, I only have a few days left until school starts again :-/**

**Now everybody, I'm glad you like this story, so you don't mind if I continue, right?**

**Well, here you go: **

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><p>Edward was still looking at his father with wide eyes and did not dare move.<p>

Judging by the scratching sound he had an idea what just happened, but he didn't want to turn around to find his assumption confirmed. He absolutely dreaded it.

"Take a step to the side." Carlisle said after exhaling loudly, because Edward was blocking his view.

Edward hesitated. "I -"

"Step aside, son." Carlisle prompted, his voice firm and commanding.

And so Edward complied. Well, what choice did he have?

He took a step to the side and looked in the opposite direction, so he wouldn't need to witness his father's reaction.

Too bad he couldn't just leave the house now and get far away from him.

Hearing his father's silent gasp wasn't the worst thing about this little accident, it was his thoughts actually.

Carlisle was shocked and disappointed - even a bit irritated – all at the same time.

To give his Dad even more space than necessary, Edward leaned back against his own car, nervous about what was going to happen now.

Clearing his throat briefly, Carlisle stepped closer to his car and crouched down so he could examine the damage. He let his fingers skim over the long scratch that was now decorating the passenger door of his shiny, black Mercedes and he shook his head. _This could easily have been avoided_, he thought annoyedly. _His beautiful car ..._

Edward shifted from one foot to another; he was definitely suffering from nerves.

His father was usually very calm and collected, he barely even raised his voice. But his behaviour mere minutes ago had been appalling. He himself was appalled about what he had done. And now he even damaged Carlisle's car, because he refused to give him the keys. He could seriously kick himself.

With a sigh, Carlisle straightened up again and looked at his son intently.

Edward tried his best to hold his father's gaze, but he just couldn't. It was hard enought to hear his disappointed thoughts, seeing it in his eyes as well was almost unbearable.

So he hung his head instead, but could still feel Carlisle's eyes on him.

They stood there in silence.

But to Edward it wasn't the least bit silent. Due to the nervousness he was feeling, it was harder to control his ability. It seemed like the thoughts of everybody in the house were practically _yelling_ at each other in his head.

He could hear Carlisle contemplating on how to proceed from here; he was half tempted to sell the Volvo right then, but even these thoughts were accompanied by worry.

It was the same worry Esme was feeling. They were equally concerned about him, not quite understanding what was troubling him so that he would act out the way he just had.

Then there was Emmett, who was busy watching Rose with lustful eyes while she was trying on different dresses and high-heels. Unfortunately, his thoughts were always the loudest, especially at times like these.

Rose was delighted with her pretty clothes and how they made her husband eye her with his mouth hanging open. She knew she was perfect in his eyes, and the thought of even glimpsing at another girl would never cross his mind.

Poor Alice ... her mind was flooded with mixed visions about what might happen next. It was like zapping through channels, and Edward tried to ignore them as best he could. Right now they only made him dizzy.

Jasper was more or less pleasant to listen to. He was reading a book, and so Edward tried to concentrate on the melodic voice in his brother's head and the pictures that formed along with the story. It was always interesting to see what people imagined while reading a novel, even though Jasper only read in an attempt to focus on something else than all the different emotions in this house right now.

The sound of a throat clearing brought Edward's attention back, and he jerked his head up.

"Hand me the keys," Carlisle said in a calm tone of voice.

It was a little too calm for Edward's taste. But he obeyed immediately and put the silver keys into his father's waiting hand.

"Go to your room."

And Edward nodded once, before quickly walking out of the garage and through the kitchen on his way to the staircase.

But in the living room he found his mother leaning against the backrest of the couch, her arms wrapped around herself.

_How could he ever treat his mother like that?_

Then he was overwhelmed by a surge of remorse when he noticed her eyes. They held sadness and disappointment and Edward knew that he was to blame for it. "Mom, I -" he started to say, but was interrupted immediately.

"Edward, to your room." Carlisle admonished when he entered the room.

He knew Edward wanted to apologize to his mother, and that was exactly what he expected him to do after the way he treated her. But now wasn't the right time. He should think about it first to understand why exactly he should ask for her forgiveness. A half-hearted apology was definitely not good enough.

Besides, Carlisle told him to go to his room and so he expected him to do just that, and fast.

Edward hesitated for a moment and looked up at his mother to see if she would let him apologize now. What did she think?

"_Edward,_" Carlisle prompted when his son didn't comply.

"Yes, Sir. I'm sorry," Edward murmured and after giving his mother one last apologetic look, he ascended the stairs. He wanted her to know that he was sorry before he left the room, but Esme had her eyes fixed on Carlisle.

"Are you all right, love?" Carlisle asked immediately and looked his wife over, carefully placing a hand on the shoulder their son had bumped against.

"Yes, yes. I am all right, nothing happened," she said and nodded her head to underline her statement.

He let his hand run down from her shoulder to her back and gave it a comforting rub, before placing a loving kiss on her temple. "I'm glad."

"What happened in the garage? I heard a scratching sound," Esme queried and looked up at her husband with wide eyes.

"Edward refused to hand me his car keys, and when I tried to pull them out of the keyhole, he grabbed them and scratched my car in the process," he sighed.

Esme's eyebrows shot up. The scratch in the car wasn't what shocked her – it could easily be fixed again – but that their son had proceeded to show defiance, and even in front of Carlisle, was really astounding.

She felt guilty then. She had meant well when she convinced Carlisle to let Edward have this car. He wanted it so badly, and she couldn't bear seeing him miserable. He and Alice started out as fifteen again, like they did every few years when they had to move. Edward always fought tooth and nail because he wouldn't be able to drive for several months and that irked him. Esme just couldn't stand seeing her baby gloomy for that period of time, so she asked him what he would like, what would make him accept it. It was _this_ car.

Carlisle anticipated that it would be too hard for Edward to hold himself back and not drive it – he knew his son well, after all. But Esme did not give up and in the end she and Edward got their wish.

And now they had to count the cost.

"But he didn't do it on purpose, am I right?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer. Edward was having temper problems, but he wouldn't destroy something that belonged to them out of spite or anger. With his siblings it was yet another story altogether - but they were his parents.

"Well, he wanted to keep the keys from me, but the scratch in my car door wasn't intentionally, I'm sure."

She nodded her head - it wouldn't be like her son to damage something out of spite.

"I'm sorry, I really thought it would help him accept it quicker," she muttered while thinking back to what caused all those problems in the first place.

Carlisle gave her a sad smile and brushed a stray lock of her hair out of her face. "Esme, my love, don't blame yourself. He made the promise to not drive the car if he could just have it."

"He is frustrated, the poor boy," Esme sighed and looked to the ground.

"That doesn't give him the right to attack his mother," he returned loudly and Esme lifted her head again. Anger was detectable in his voice and she knew why, but he shouldn't let it take overhand. Edward would never want to hurt her.

"Oh Carlisle, he didn't attack me. He -"

Carlisle interrupted her in mid-sentence. "He got rough with you, his _mother_. I will not tolerate it as he very well knows."

"I'm sure it was an accident," Esme countered softly. "Accidents happen."

"Scratching my car was an accident. Getting rough with you wasn't. I told him countless times to get his temper under control or to withdraw himself when he was struggling. And to top it off, he disobeyed us. He had several chances to comply, but he chose to ignore them."

Esme had to admit that her husband was right, of course he was.

But her poor boy … why didn't he just give her the keys when she asked for them? Edward knew she wouldn't even have informed Carlisle.

And then he continued his defiant behaviour, even towards his father.

"Something is bothering him," she said.

"Then we should go upstairs and talk to him," Carlisle suggested, before adding with a sigh, "I just don't understand what has gotten into him lately..."

Esme let her hand run up and down his left arm, trying to ease the tension he must be feeling. "Give him some time first."

"Of course I will," he replied, then suddenly frowned. "But Esme ... don't you want to talk to him, too? He disrespected and hurt you, and I don't wish to undermine your authority."

"No, I trust you to handle him. And he refused to talk to me about what was bothering him, so maybe he'll open up to you."

"I'll go upstairs to talk to him in half an hour." Carlisle said with a sigh. His plans for tonight had been quite different from what he would have to do soon. "Would you give us some privacy and take the children with you?"

"Oh Carlisle, isn't that a bit harsh?" She asked, knowing what Carlisle had planned for their boy if the rest of the family had to leave the house. She wasn't opposed to spankings as a form of punishment, and Edward might deserve getting one, but she would still try to plead his case. He was her youngest, after all, her baby, and he had been frustrated. Surely that wasn't an excuse for such behaviour, but she always had the strongest motherly feelings towards him and couldn't help but come to his defence.

"Esme, he is old enough to know that such behaviour has consequences. And I heard you two arguing about his keys when I came home. How many times did you ask for them?" he queried, trying to show her just why he thought his son was in need of some discipline.

"Several times," she admitted slowly.

Carlisle nodded his head.

"Maybe you shouldn't have given him the keys in the first place," she sighed heavily and leaned back against the backrest of the couch again.

Carlisle looked perplexed.

"Love, I did not give him the keys," he said slowly. "I knew he would drive the car if he had them. I thought you took them from my desk drawer today and -"

But he silenced when Esme's eyes widened.

"You ... didn't give him the keys either." He concluded from the look she gave him.

She slowly shook her head.

_Oh, Edward ... why?_

"He surely has been busy today," Carlisle sighed and rubbed his brow.

There was a nervous flicker in Esme's eyes then, like she was uncertain about something.

Carlisle noticed immediately.

"Esme?" he asked and reached out to touch her cheek. "What is bothering you?"

Oh, how she hated situations like these! Now what options did she have? Either keep her son's illicit car ride from her husband, or get her son deeper into trouble. _What would be the right thing to do?_

"Esme?" Carlisle asked again, growing nervous with every second that passed.

"Edward hasn't just been busy_ today_," she told him eventually, using his choice of words.

Edward brought it upon himself, didn't he? She couldn't keep this from her husband and she couldn't let it slide. She tended to let him get away with little things, but this wasn't just a little thing. Besides, she gave him enough chances to comply, but he outright defied her.

"What happened?"

"Maybe he should tell you," she replied. There was the vast possibility that Carlisle would take the news better from their son. If Edward would be honest about it and show remorse, Carlisle might understand. But there also was the possibility that Edward would keep silent about it or feed Carlisle lies.

"_Will_ he tell me?" he asked sceptically and looked her in the eye.

His question only underlined Esme's thoughts about this. He had the same doubts she was having.

"While we were hunting yesterday, he took the Volvo for a ride to the beach and back."

Carlisle drew a deep breath. "He did?"

"Yes," Esme nodded sadly.

"Do you agree with me now that he is in dire need of some discipline?"

Esme didn't say anything, just leaned against his chest. She felt how Carlisle put his arms around her, holding her close. "He is upset that we moved," she muttered softly.

"This isn't the first time we moved," Carlisle countered, trying to ease the guilt she was feeling. They _had_ to move, and now everyone _had_ to play their roles anew so they could continue living a next to normal life with a house, cars and all the other comforts their cover enabled. Living like stray cats wasn't an option for this family.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?"

"Yes. I'd rather comfort my baby when we get back home," she said and Carlisle couldn't help but smile. Yes, that was so her. No matter what Edward did, she was always the first person to forgive and forget so she could pamper him again.

"All right, love, I understand."

Alice appeared at the foot of the stairs then, holding hands with her mate.

She looked questioningly at her parents with large eyes, even though she probably already knew what had happened.

Carlisle and Esme loosened their embrace and gave their children little smiles.

"Hey Daddy," Alice said and skipped over to him, getting on her tiptoes to give Carlisle a peck on the cheek.

Oh, his little sunshine.

He smiled and ruffled her spiky hair. "Hello, sweetie."

Then Carlisle looked up and placed a hand on Jasper's shoulder. "How was your day, son?"

"It was good, Carlisle," Jasper answered warily. The emotions in this house were making him feel highly alert and he knew the smalltalk was mainly to distract him from that.

Then Alice turned towards Esme. "Do we go shopping or to the movies, Mom?"

"You choose something, honey," she replied lovingly.

"But she'll choose shopping, she _always_ chooses shopping!" Emmett groaned while coming down the stairs with Rose. He prefered going to the movies. There was a new action movie he wanted to watch and he knew that Jasper was also looking forward to it.

"We'll decide on our drive to Port Angeles, yes?" Esme suggested and looked between her children.

The nodded and marched over to the garage after saying good bye to Carlisle, not even bothering to ask why they needed to leave the house.

It was quite obvious to all of them. The noises coming from downstairs, then Edward hurrying to his room, then Alice telling everyone to get ready and to come to the living room.

"Maybe I'll comfort you too when we come back later," Esme said to her husband when the children were out of sight.

"I should hope so!" He returned before kissing her on the lips.

"Mom!" Emmett called from the garage, seemingly growing impatient.

Carlisle rolled his eyes at the interruption and Esme chuckled, patting him on the arm.

She turned around then and with a last glance at him, vanished from the room.

He watched her leave, then leaned back against the couch, exhaling heavily.

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><p>Carlisle made his way upstairs to his son's room after having spend the last half hour sitting in the living room going through the newspaper.<p>

He had wanted to grant his son - as well as himself - some time to calm down.

With the rest of the family gone, the house was eerily silent. But it was good - that way he and Edward could talk about everything and hopefully his son would enlighten him just why he felt the need to repeatedly defy him and Esme.

Reaching the topmost floor, Carlisle walked on until he was standing in front of Edward's room.

The door was ajar, but still - Carlisle did not enter immediately.

"Edward, may I come in?" he asked and waited for an answer.

But no answer came.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "Edward? Please let us talk, your mother and siblings left the house."

Nothing.

"Edward, come now." Carlisle said again, growing slightly impatient.

But then suspicion crept upon him.

Was his son trying to continue his defiance? Not a pleasant thought.

"Edward?"

It annoyed him that his son was still refusing to answer.

So he knocked on the door twice, before placing a hand against it and pushed lightly so he could step into the room.

Now what annoyed him even more was that his son was nowhere to be seen.

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><p><strong>Haha! Oh come on, guys, Edward would never scratch his own car! He scratched his Dad's instead ;-)<strong>

**Nah, it was an accident, wasn't it? ****And I feel so sorry for Carlisle, his day is getting shittier by the second.**

**Anyways ... please REVIEW and tell me what you think! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi there!**

**Thank you so much for your reviews! They make me smile :-)**

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><p>"Woah! Does the old man need glasses now?" Emmett asked when they stepped into the garage and his eyes fell on his father's car.<p>

Rose and Jasper frowned at Emmett, because they didn't understand just what he was implying.

But then they followed his gaze.

Jasper only lifted one eyebrow. He was quick to put two and two together – the chaos of emotions coming from his parents and little brother, and now seeing this big scratch – Edward was obviously to blame for this damage.

Rosalie's eyes went as big as saucers and she hurried over to the passenger door of Carlisle's Mercedes.

She knelt down to examine the scratch, careful not to let her knee touch the rough floor of the garage – her silk tights were brand-new.

"It's one single scratch, Emmett. That wasn't an accident," she replied with a frown. No, if Carlisle had scuffed his car against some posts or the like, or someone else had grazed it, the door would look a lot different now. More scrapes, and probably even a dent. But this was a single, smooth line carved right into the passenger door. And the chance that Carlisle's eye sight and driving skills would diminish to that degree that he caused accidents was next to nothing.

She touched the ugly scratch in the paint with her fingertips, to check how deep it was and if she could take care of it for Carlisle.

They did have a polishing machine, but Rose was certain she didn't have any black auto paint. Hm, they could always take the car to the auto shop, but then Carlisle wouldn't get it back for a few days.

_Oh well, he could drive the stupid Volvo until this hideous scrape would be fixed again._

Emmett snorted. "Well, what else could have happened then?"

He liked the thought of Carlisle constantly bumping into things a lot better - it was a funny mental image and he snickered.

"Edward scratched Dad's car," Alice said casually while passing them on her way to Emmett's huge Jeep.

"Let's get going!" she urged when they just gaped at her.

Emmett whistled. "The little one's got some nerve," he said while shaking his head, leaning with his back against the wall next to the door.

"_Accidentally._" Alice clarified and rolled her eyes.

Then she waved at Emmett and Rose impatiently, trying to get them to move.

But they didn't.

She groaned and shook her head, then climbed into the back seat when Jasper opened the door for her.

Emmett turned his head and called for Esme before pushing away from the wall and fishing his car keys from his jeans pocket.

"C'mon babe," he said to his wife who was still fumbling with the scratch, and he quickly got into the driver's seat of his car. _He_ wanted to drive, of course!

Rose straightened up again and at that moment Esme passed through the door with quick steps, her purse clutched in her right hand.

She placed her other hand on Rose's back and guided her over to the Jeep so they could leave. Esme knew they had noticed the little accident, but she didn't want to discuss Edward's behaviour with them.

Rose immediately went to sit in the back, so Esme rode shotgun.

"Buckle up," she said and chuckled when she heard her children groan. If they could, they would just remove the stupid seatbelts from their cars and burn them to a cinder. But living among humans and having a doctor for a father made it necessary to not only keep them, but to use them as well. So they reluctantly complied and Emmett started his car.

With a grin, he hit down on the gas pedal and backed out of the garage, before switching into forward speed and chasing his car down the winding path.

Esme tzked. "Emmett, please."

He laughed.

"Sorry, Mom," he replied, distorting his mouth. He drove on, albeit slower this time.

After a few miles they left their unpaved road and turned onto the highway.

It wasn't too busy, but busy enough so that Emmett couldn't speed without endangering the other road users.

Esme had to chuckle at seeing the disappointed pout that appeared on her son's face. She reached out and patted his cheek lovingly. His pout deepened for a moment before he had to laugh.

Driving slow was boring to him and it obviously bored everyone else in the car too, because it was so quiet.

So Emmett decided that it was his job to make this car ride a little more fun. There were other ways to entertain oneself than hitting down on the gas pedal, after all.

He glanced at his Mom and laughed silently before speaking. "Sooo ..."

Esme looked sideways, her golden eyes curious. "Yes, Emmett?"

"Little Edward has been naughty?" He lifted his eyebrows and grinned at her. Somehow he always found it hilarious whenever one of his siblings got into trouble.

"Emmett," she chided softly and shook her head, before focussing back on the road ahead.

"What?" he asked and looked slightly confused. "It's true, isn't it?"

Esme just sighed, refusing to react to his question. Everything that had happened at home was between her, Edward and Carlisle. If Edward decided to tell his siblings what happened then he was free to do so, but she wouldn't talk about it.

"He'll get a whoopin'," Emmett said in a sing-song voice while stopping at a red light. A big grin was etched onto his face and he really thought he was funny. Carlisle wouldn't spank Edward for a scratch in the paint, especially when it happened by accident, but Emmett just felt like being silly right now.

Yes, he had no idea what else had happened while they had been otherwise engaged.

Esme gave her son a look that indicated he should stop making fun of his brother, when Rose decided to join in.

"Was about time," she sneered loftily.

"Rosalie, please," Esme said in a chiding tone and glanced back at her, hoping they would just drop it.

Rose was obviously unfazed by the soft rebuke, because she just continued with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'm just saying. He's insufferable since of late and I'm not surprised that he would cause trouble."

"_Rosalie_."

Completely ignoring her mother's reproof once again, Rose went on. "A sound thrashing would do him good." She made it sound like a ... suggestion.

"It is none of your concern what Edward has done or why your father asked us to leave for a little while," Esme said and looked between Emmett and Rose, because they were the only ones who seemed immensely interested in Edward's fate.

Rose huffed. "Edward -"

"Not another word about your brother, you hear?" Esme demanded in a firm voice.

"Mom, he took his bad mood out on us, so don't you tell me to shut up," Rose retorted.

Alice and Jasper's eyes widened and they quickly decided to stay out of this little quarrel; but they did shoot Rose little glances, hoping she would detect the warning in them.

Jasper felt Esme's increasing irritation, whereas Alice saw that her sister would be wise to just keep her mouth shut.

"I will want to talk to you as soon as we get back home today, Rosalie," Esme informed her blond daughter, a pointed look directed at her.

Rose's jaw dropped as she stared at her mother in disbelief. "Are you blaming _me_ for his foul mood?"

Esme sighed. Rosalie had quite a temper on herself, and – God knows why – she was getting belligerent right now. So it was on Esme now to calm her some so they wouldn't spend the car ride arguing. "I am not blaming anyone, dear. Please don't get upset, let's just spend a nice evening together, yes?" she said softly.

"Right." Rosalie scoffed in response and looked out of the side window.

Esme decided to ignore her daughter's comment and was thankful when Emmett pushed a CD into the player and turned the volume up.

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><p>Carlisle stood in the doorway of Edward's room, looking neither happy nor amused to find that his son had disobeyed him yet again.<p>

What Edward had done was already enough as it is, there was no need to add more.

But he definitely wasn't in his room.

So Carlisle stepped inside and looked around, to find out _why_ Edward wasn't here. He recalled hearing his son run upstairs and straight to his room ... or was he remembering wrong? Had he left again? No, it didn't smell like it. His scent would be a lot stronger in the hallway if he had.

When Carlisle's eyes fell onto the big windows that led to the balcony, he noticed that the window latch was in the wrong position. The window was shut, but in a way that it could be opened from the outside again by a simple push.

So Edward had made sure he could sneak back in before he left. Clever move.

Carlisle walked on and opened the big window, then stepped onto the balcony. With his hands on the railing he bent forward and looked around, hoping he would be able to detect Edward down at the river or somewhere in the forest, but there wasn't even the slightest trace of him.

He sniffed the air then, trying to locate a trail of scent that would show him in which direction he had gone. But his son's scent was only faint in the air and it was hard to say for sure – but it became clear that he hadn't left just minutes ago.

And Carlisle's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

All he wanted was to spend his evening with his family, maybe sitting in the living room watching a movie or planning a nice hunting trip for the next time it would be too sunny for him to go to work and for his children to attend school. They had bought a nice cottage in Canada a while ago; it was very secluded and perfect for days like these. Of course they could always stay at home, but his children got bored easily.

Anyways, he only wanted to spend a relaxing evening at home today. But _no_, here he was … standing on his son's balcony like an idiot with the intention to have a talk but the person he wanted to talk to was _gone_.

And what he definitely hadn't expected was to spend his evening chasing after his wayward son.

He stepped back inside, leaving the balcony door open in case his son would come to his senses soon and then come home. He also wanted him to know that he knew.

No sneaking back inside and lying about it.

With one last glance over his shoulder he then walked out of the room and down the stairs, heading for his study.

Once inside, he let himself fall into his leather desk chair and rubbed his hand over his face, because he was starting to feel a little exhausted.

Then, while thinking about his next course of action, he leaned back and took a deep breath.

Carlisle made up his mind quickly and grabbed the edge of his desk, scooting his chair closer.

Picking up the phone that was lying on his desk, he immediately dialed Edward's number and held the phone to his ear.

It rang on the other hand.

Carlisle waited impatiently, but even after several rings Edward did not answer his phone.

Groaning, he put the phone down again and drummed his finger's on his desk. _Well, maybe in a minute then_, he decided. Now Edward knew that he was aware of his absence and should make his way home soon.

Should he call Esme? Maybe Edward would talk to her. But then Carlisle dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. She had already told him that Edward refused to tell her what was bothering him. And Esme would worry even more … it was better to let her enjoy the evening out with the children, give her the chance to forget about the drama at home for a while.

With the intention to change into more comfortable clothes, he stood up and marched into his and Esme's bedroom.

The walk-in closet was well stocked with clothes for every occasion. His section was noticeably smaller than his wife's, but naturally – it didn't bother him.

His eyes fell on a pair of jeans and he grabbed them along a dark tshirt that was lying on top of a neat pile.

He took his time to change, welcoming the simple task to help him take his mind of the stress his son was putting him through.

But no matter how slowly he tried to move, he was done after a minute.

A little reluctantly he walked back into his study and took a seat on his desk chair.

With a sigh, he picked up the phone again and dialed Edward's number anew.

_Oh great_, he thought, and a waft of annoyance made itself known.

Now his dear son had switched his phone off.

Was he being serious?

Carlisle laughed humourlessly and shook his head.

_What was Edward expecting to achieve by that?_

Every time one of the children misbehaved, they got sent to their rooms to think about what they did wrong and, of course, to calm down. He knew that they always waited in nervous anticipation of what was to come, and they detested it. But it was an essential part of Carlisle's parenting; he wasn't one for shouting matches, and spending the time by oneself in silence always helped to collect oneself.

Was Edward trying to show him how it feels like having to wait?

Or did he run because he was afraid?

Well, Carlisle wasn't impressed by his son's behaviour, but this certainly wasn't the end of the world. Edward had done a lot worse things than this and he didn't run then.

Deciding that his musings wouldn't give him the right answer to his question but only unsettle him further, he stood up and left his study. He descended the stairs and headed for the French windows in the dining room, which he opened immediately.

Stepping out onto the large porch, he inhaled the fresh evening air and looked around. The sky was slowly turning darker, painting the surroundings in a different light. He couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of this place, the serenity it offered. Even though Forks didn't sound like the most exciting place on the planet, it was perfect to him and already more than he could ask for. His family would be safe here and that was all that mattered.

Sighing, he sat down in one of the wooden garden chairs to his right and crossed his legs, listening to the last birds' twittering of the day.

He didn't know how long he sat there, musing, thinking, when suddenly something at the edge the forest caught his eye.

Bronze hair and a pale face.

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><p><strong>Good? Bad? <strong>

**I hope you don't mind that the Carlisle part wasn't that long, but I just wanted to include the rest of the family a little in this chapter ;-)**

**Please REVIEW! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello!  
><strong>

**Oh God, I feel so bad you guys ... **

**It seems to me that you are expecting a really exciting story, but it's actually not going to be that spectacular. Huh, maybe I can try and include some ... twists and turns or something *shrug***

**Anyways, just wanna say thank you for your reviews! I love them soooo much! More more more! :D**

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><p>Edward all but flew to his room and shut the door behind himself, then took one deep breath before burying his face in his hands. His head was spinning – he just couldn't believe what just happened, and his parents and siblings' thoughts were buzzing in his mind like a swarm of angry bees, effectively keeping him from calming down and thinking straight.<p>

The control over his ability always tended to slip a little whenever he got upset or neglected his duty to take care of himself, in other words: hunt. _It has been a while_, he realized and the fire in his throat flared - he winced from the pain it caused.

He started looking around feverishly, hoping he would find something to distract himself with, but there was nothing interesting. He would have given _the_ _world_ for a Rubik's cube right then.

Suddenly he could hear Carlisle's voice growing loud in his mind and he saw him through Esme's eyes. Oh dear, he didn't just _sound_ angry, he _looked_ angry as well. The scene of him snatching the keys from Esme's hand and then pushing past her played in Carlisle's mind again, and Edward couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself. When it happened, he was too focussed on what he wanted to do, so that he didn't really notice how hard his shoulder bumped against his mother's.

Then Carlisle said something that unconsciously served as a stimulus for Edward's next action.

_'I told him countless times to get his temper under control or to withdraw himself when he was struggling.'_

Withdraw himself – sounded good to Edward.

He hurried over to the window that led out to the balcony and opened it instantly. He stepped out and shut it quietly behind himself, making sure to make as little sound as possible.

Then he jumped from his balcony right into the crown of a nearby tree, landing on his feet with ease. The springy branch absorbed the shock of impact, and it barely even moved. Edward stilled for a moment, listening in on his family's thoughts to check if they had noticed anything. But luckily they hadn't and so he jumped into the crown of the next tree, then into the next one. When he was far enough so that nobody would be able to see him while looking out of the window, he jumped down onto the damp earth and started running.

He could feel the rush of the warm summer wind against his skin while he dashed through the forest. It was so freeing for him, just like driving, because it gave him the chance to think more clearly, to concentrate on other things than the constant intrusion of people's thoughts into his mind. Funny enough, his siblings always saw it the other way round, like _he_ was intruding into _their_ minds.

But they got it all wrong.

The thoughts of the people surrounding him were always there, and it had taken him decades of practice and concentration to get the chaos they caused in his head mostly under control. He had learned how to turn the noise down, but it would never be completely silent for him as long as someone was around. And when his body was craving nourishment, he was nearly helpless against his gift.

_Gift. _Why Carlisle called it that, he still did not know. The word certainly did not match how he felt about it. Well, he wasn't always unhappy with it as it offered him the unique opportunity to understand people on a different level, to see their true self; but most of the time it felt more like he's been cursed instead of blessed.

The trees swooshed past him as he ran deeper into the forest, determined to get away from the house as quickly as possible so the noises in his head would die down. Luckily it didn't take long and they were starting to soften. He kept on running until they were completely gone, and only then did he decide to stop for a moment. Leaning with his back against a tree, he closed his eyes and sighed with relief. The peaceful silence was indescribable, and Edward was thankful for the huge forest area surrounding their home. There weren't many people who chose this specific forest for camping or hiking, and therefore it was perfect for him to get some peace.

He opened his eyes again and pushed away from the tree. Now that that problem had been taken care of, he could proceed to the next one.

A sudden bleeping noise coming from his pocket stopped him before he could head deeper into the forest. He fished his cell phone from his trouser pocket and groaned as he saw that he had just missed a call. A call from home. He must have been too distracted to notice it ringing. But he wouldn't have answered it anyways - it was probably one of his siblings, calling him to either tease him or wish him luck. Realizing that he wouldn't notice any further calls because he would be busy, and not wanting to receive any stupid calls anyways, he decisively switched his phone off before stuffing it back into his pocket.

His feet barely touched the ground as he ran even faster than before, more determined this time, until a distinct smell suddenly made him slow down. This smell, although normally less than alluring to vampires, triggered his instincts – he was trained that way. So he turned to the side and sprinted in the direction of a little clearing he knew all too well by now. He liked to use it as his possibility to retreat whenever things got too 'loud' in the house. Sometimes he hoped Rose and Emmett would consider moving out for a year or two again.

His nostrils flared when he took another quick breath, locating his prey that was still oblivious of the nearing predator who would soon end its life.

When Edward was about twenty feet from the auburn roebuck, he leaped into the air and a second later his teeth tore into the throat of the startled animal. Everything happened so fast that when the deer finally realized the danger, Edward was already swallowing its warm blood with big gulps.

The more he drank, the calmer he got. His last hunt had been almost two weeks ago. Emmett had coaxed him to go hunting together, to check out the 'local cuisine' here in Forks. Edward was a little reluctant at first, because they hunted before leaving Alaska. The blood of a big, black bear quenched his thirst back then and the taste of it had been a lot more satisfying than this deer. But right now it served its purpose well and Edward dropped it to the floor when there was not a single drop left to drink.

He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, taking a deep breath through his nose. The tension he felt before left his body now and he could practically feel the blood soothe his nerves. After a moment of just standing there and enjoying the feeling of the wonderful, red liquid warming him from inside, he decided to continue his hunt – the burning in his throat was still stronger than it needed to be. A second animal – maybe a mountain lion, that he had actually planned to feed off first – might help him with that.

So he headed for the place where he last found one when he came to Forks.

And he was lucky.

Even though the little fella spotted him before he could charge, he was no match for Edward's speed and strength. Edward tackled it to the ground and greedily drank the blood from its neck, enjoying the wonderful flavour on his tongue. It washed away the taste of the deer blood and he was incredibly thankful for that. Deer was only to get full, but it wasn't very enjoyable.

The mountain lion stopped struggling and its heartbeat got weaker and weaker until it stopped completely.

Edward straightened up again.

He felt better. A _lot_ better, actually.

The burning in his throat was quenched as much as possible with the animal diet they followed and he licked a little blood from his lips, then sat down on a boulder next to the lifeless body of his prey. He reached out to touch the tawny fur of the animal, feeling it's warmness before it would turn the same temperature he usually was. Cold. Dead.

His thoughts wandered back to his parents and what happened an hour ago. He couldn't help but wince when he remembered the look on Esme's face; so full of sadness, disappointment and confusion, and it was all his fault.

Carlisle was right when he told Esme that he had gotten rough with her.

How could he ever do that? She was always so sweet, so understanding and she even convinced Carlisle to get him a new car. No one else would have succeeded, and no one else would have even tried. Normally Carlisle did not budge when he made up his mind – his decisions were final.

And Edward had experience with that already, of course.

But Esme would challenge anyone and not back down no matter what where her children were concerned. She was a mother with all her being and knew her children well. And this time she felt that her youngest son need some motivation to play his role again.

Edward was quite sick of going to school over and over again. Nothing really changed, neither at school nor in his life.

He was surrounded by couples all the time, while he was the odd man out. Esme told him time and time again that maybe she's waiting in the next city, that maybe he'll find her soon; he shouldn't give his hopes up just yet. She was good at comforting him and indeed, a tiny bubble of hope grew inside of him. He was even starting to look forward to move to Forks, to see if his true mate would be there, waiting to be found. But now, after two weeks of living here and going to school, that bubble burst. She wasn't here, and he would never find her.

_Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed._

It wouldn't even be that bad, for he could deal with this disappointment and just accept having to wait some more. But now it was kind of tied to this town, to Forks. The town had lost its appeal.

And it certainly didn't help that he couldn't pursue his hobby of driving around in fast cars. Well, he could maybe even deal with that, but only if Rose would keep her stupid mouth shut.

Every single day she laughed at him, mocked him. He could see in her mind that she only did it because she herself was bored with Forks already – she wanted to move to a big city but Carlisle and Esme did not give in when she begged them to consider it. She had the option of moving wherever she wanted to with Emmett, but they both didn't want to leave the rest of the family.

So now she vent her frustration on him.

_And_, probably her biggest motivation for constantly teasing Edward: she knew exactly how to get a rise out of him and she _loved_ it. It was one of her hobbies. Emmett enjoyed it, too, but his teasing was more harmless than hers.

Well, how could he evade getting tormented by her?

Staying at home while she was in school? - Too boring, definitely too boring.

Going away from the family? - Hell no. Not an option anymore. He left his family once, to try out a new lifestyle, a more _traditional_ lifestyle for vampires. But it didn't do him any good; it only made him feel lonely and eventually he got depressed. And it made him realize that nothing could replace his family.

Edward's thoughts wandered back to his behaviour today.

Ugh, he behaved like a five-year-old throwing a temper tantrum. He refused to give Esme the keys, even though it would have been the smartest thing to do. Judging by the look in her eyes it pained her having to ask for them, but she did so to keep his little car ride the day before from Carlisle and to make sure he wouldn't drive again. But little did she know that Carlisle never gave him the keys in the first place and that was one of the reasons why Edward wanted to keep them. With Esme involved, it would be a lot harder to put them back where they actually belonged.

Hopefully Carlisle and Esme wouldn't talk about that now and realize that Edward stole the car keys from his father's study.

It was the perfect plan. While the rest of the family went hunting – he refused to join them, even though Esme told him it would do him good – he crept into his father's office to retrieve his keys. They were lying in Carlisle's desk drawer, hidden inside of a little leather pouch, with only the car remote hanging out. Edward quickly decided to leave the pouch as well as the remote behind and only take the keys with him, because otherwise Carlisle might notice that something was missing. So he took the keys off the keyring and stuffed them into the back pocket of his jeans before putting everything back into the drawer. He closed the pouch, then placed it together with the remote back in the far left corner where he found it when he first opened the drawer. His plan was foolproof, nobody would ever find out.

Then, with a big grin practically carved into his face, he went on a little joy ride; no bad conscience at all. It was _his_ car, after all, so why would he feel bad about taking _his_ keys?

Now he realized how wrong it was, of course. His thirst must have meddled with his ability to form coherent thoughts. He betrayed his parents. They had a deal but he went behind their backs and did as he pleased. He knew how important it was for all of them to keep a low profile, to remain inconspicuous so that humans wouldn't notice them being different. But if he just changed his age now or drove around town without a licence would probably not fall into that category.

Edward groaned and ran his fingers through his hair, then tried to concentrate on something different than his misdeeds.

Having drained two animals just minutes ago took full effect now, he noticed. With the fresh blood in his system he felt so much better, satisfied and relaxed and calm. It was a wonderful feeling how it warmed him from inside, especially his throat and stomach; and he could practically feel it flushing his skin. So he just sat there, marvelling at the quick onset of effect, until he realized that maybe he should head home now.

Oh dear, hopefully Carlisle hadn't noticed his absence … but then it hit him.

Nobody would ever forbid him to feed when he needed to.

So it wasn't his fault that he sneaked out! He couldn't think straight while he was thirsty, everybody knew that!

And if he had stayed in his room like Carlisle told him to, he would have flipped.

Therefore leaving was a very mature thing to do, he figured.

But then another doubt overcame him …

If Carlisle noticed that he wasn't in his room where he was supposed to be, he would probably think he ran ... and running was never good.

Carlisle found it disrespectful and it would only show that someone was without remorse and unwilling to take responsibility for one's behaviour.

After mulling over his chances that Carlisle wouldn't notice him gone, Edward stood up and began walking in the direction of their home. But at this rate, it might take ages until he would reach home. The thought of sneaking back in without Carlisle noticing finally motivated him enough to start running.

Now that he could think more clearly, he started worrying about what would be waiting for him at home.

Maybe he was indeed lucky ... maybe Carlisle was still downstairs, reading or the like. It always varied how much time Carlisle gave them to calm down. Maybe he figured that his son had been extremely upset and needed at least several hours to get his temper under control.

A little smile appeared on Edward's face when he perceived his Dad's thoughts. He was in 'hearing' range again, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed that Carlisle was thinking about random things like his work and the beauty of their home buried deep in the woods. Perfect, so he hadn't noticed anything yet. Now all Edward had to do was to get back into his room and change into clothes that wouldn't smell of forest or blood.

When he was close enough, he slowed down to a walk. Slowly making his way forward, he could see the house after a minute, but then he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

Standing there, half hidden behind a tree, he stared wide-eyed at his father sitting on the porch.

Unfortunately, Carlisle had spotted him at the exact same time.

He saw the look on Edward's face turning from shocked to contemplating, calculating even.

_Why didn't he come closer?_

Carlisle stood up from the chair and took a few steps until he reached the railing, leaning on it with his forearms. It was a very relaxed pose, even though - if you could see into his mind - he wasn't really relaxed.

His eyes never left Edward's and he wondered why he didn't walk up to him. He had decided against running after his son long ago, because he should have at least that much respect for him to not make him do that. But he might reconsider his decision, it depended on what Edward would do next.

Edward's eyes narrowed slightly and Carlisle knew he was trying to make sense of his thoughts.

But when he still wouldn't come closer, Carlisle's patience began to falter. He told him in his mind to come to him, several times.

But it seemed that Edward still wasn't done showing defiance for the day.

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><p><strong>Muhahaha :D<strong>

**Good stopping point, right?**

**This chapter wasn't planned, but then I realized that maybe you would ****like to read about what Edward was doing while ****_not_**** in his room. **

**Please leave a REVIEW and tell me what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey there and thank you for your reviews!**

**Sorry for the wait but I had a nice little idea for Rosalie & Esme and started writing it down, but then I wasn't sure if it would fit in here because this story is supposed to be about Edward ... huh. But I could just change the description ... or I'll do another story.**

**Yeah, sometimes it's kinda difficult to write stories :D****  
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**I'll just do this story like I planned, and then I do another one if you're interested. Yup. That'll work.  
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**LadyIce5: I read somewhere that Stephenie Meyer said that - because vampire senses are heightened - pain is also more intense. So they do feel pain, even though it takes a lot more to hurt them. I think Carlisle's hand is harder than any implement, so ... good luck, Edward *haha*  
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**Now go ahead and read the chapter!  
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><p>With an exasperated sigh Carlisle called, "Edward, to me."<p>

But it seemed like Edward had a better idea - he remained standing exactly where he was, making no attempt to come closer.

Seeing that, Carlisle couldn't help but groan.

_All these unnecessary procrastinations ..._

He straightened up then, one hand still on the railing while he held the other one in front of himself.

"Edward," he said, louder now, and curled his index finger at his son, hoping this gesture would do the trick.

Edward stared back at him, and the look on his face was hard to describe. He didn't look scared, Carlisle noticed, and he didn't look petulant. That was quite interesting, because his behaviour was _petulant_.

No, Edward looked a little nervous, but also deep in thought - like he didn't know the answer to a certain question and was now brooding over it.

Carlisle waited a whole minute for his son to make the right decision - the decision to comply. It was generous of him to grant him that time, he thought, because he had already waited longer than necessary today.

But even after this minute, nothing had changed.

It seemed like this could go on for ages, because Edward did not move, just stared at his father standing on the porch.

Now that Carlisle grew irritated once more but wanted to keep an even keel, he decided to fix his gaze on the river for a moment and to concentrate on the lapping of the water in hopes that it would calm his nerves.

Yes, Carlisle did not like disobedience; and he certainly liked it even less after everything else that had happened on this day.

At the edge of his peripheral vision, he noticed Edward moving and so he whipped his head around to focus his attention on his son again.

_Finally! _he thought and expected him to walk up to him now.

Edward shifted his weight from one foot to the other and … looked away.

_Good Lord._

Carlisle, having had enough of his son's childish stalling, let his hand slam down on the railing with a loud bang. It wasn't hard enough to break the wood, because that wouldn't go over too well with Esme; it was just with enough force so he would get his son's attention and show him that he was fed up.

It worked quite well, because Edward's head shot back up, his eyes wide open.

Their gazes locked again.

"Edward," Carlisle said sharply, knowing full well Edward would hear him no matter the distance. "It's enough. Come here so we can talk. _Now_."

This certainly wasn't a good day – for neither Carlisle nor Edward.

Carlisle was annoyed with himself for being annoyed - he normally was a man of nerve.

And Edward? Edward was contemplating on what to do, because he got the feeling that his father might not accept his explanation as to why he left his room even though he was sent up there to _stay_ there. He could hear in his father's voice_ and_ in his mind that he was getting mad and so he had to make a decision. And fast.

A low growl escaped Carlisle's lips when he saw Edward glance behind him, probably looking for an escape route in the thick forest.

_Did he really want to run? Again?_

"Edward," Carlisle asked sternly, "do you really want me to run after you and then drag you back by your ear?"

A tiny shake of his head.

_Good_, so Edward was listening and had some sense left.

"I will do it if you really want me to. But I can assure you that there will be consequences," Carlisle warned and narrowed his eyes at the last word.

Edward gulped at that and shifted from one foot to another again.

He really didn't mean to provoke Carlisle, but his mind was still occupied with the sneaking out-problem - a problem he needed to find a good excuse to. If only he had told him that he was thirsty ... it would have definitely saved him from racking his brain now, figuring out what to say.

He needed more time to think it over, so he would have an explanation that would guarantee him to get off scot-free. He was in enough trouble as it was, what with showing defiance, hurting Esme and scratching the car, so he didn't need to add more.

Well, running away now would definitely be counter-productive, he figured. But walking up to his father wasn't awfully clever, either. He just needed a little. more. time.

So remaining standing where he was seemed like a good way to go. Like a middle course.

"I am trying to be patient with you right now, son, but you are making it very hard for me. Now come here or I will come get you, your choice."

Another warning.

Shit, he was running out of time.

Edward was starting to feel desperate; he needed to act now, or his father would make good on his warning. But his current inability to think straight kept him rooted to the spot.

Carlisle's jaw clenched when he saw that his son was obviously unfazed by his warnings, because he still did not move an inch from his spot at the edge of the forest.

_How could he still show defiance after everything he did today? Well, _and_ yesterday?_

Edward gasped and his eyes widened at hearing his father's thoughts.

Oh no, Esme must have told him about his car ride the day before. This isn't good, Edward thought, not good at all.

What else did he do that he would need to explain and find an excuse to?

Getting nervous was something Edward hated, because then he just couldn't think properly anymore and that made him even _more_ nervous. A doom loop.

Taking a calming breath, Edward broke eye contact with his father and stared at the ground to focus back on his sneaking out – it seemed to be the most recent problem that Carlisle probably wanted to discuss.

He was deep in thought when all of a sudden the sound of something cracking, maybe a twig, made him look up again and his breath caught.

Carlisle was walking – no, _marching_ towards him, his face holding a grim expression. Out of consideration for Edward he had started shielding his thoughts; his boy should concentrate on the impending talk, not getting sidetracked by his thoughts which might only serve to confuse him right now.

"Wait!" Edward called, because – quite frankly – he didn't know what else to say.

Carlisle stopped and tilted his head to the side a little, waiting for Edward to explain just what he was trying to achieve now.

But Edward remained silent.

Heaving an exasperated sigh and lifting his hands in a questioning manner, he looked at Edward as if he was trying to make a fool of him.

"What now, Edward."

"I'm sorry," Edward mumbled and gave his father a pleading look.

"You are sorry. Now that is quite interesting." Being defiant, sneaking out, running away and a lot of disobedience - it did not look like he was indeed sorry, Carlisle mused.

Edward wasn't sure what to make of his father's tone of voice, because it sounded like he was mocking him. The absence of his father's thoughts made it a little harder to perceive his mood and it was unsettling for Edward, because he did not know what was coming to him.

"How about you come inside with me and then we'll talk about what exactly you are sorry for, hm?" Carlisle asked and turned to the side, holding one arm out to invite his son over.

Even though he knew full well that this wasn't a request, Edward still couldn't get himself to move.

No need to say that to Carlisle this was starting to become quite ridiculous.

"Edward -"

"I'm sorry for _everything,_" Edward said quickly and looked his father in the eye.

"Everything," Carlisle repeated, sarcasm dripping from every syllable, which alarmed Edward.

If Carlisle ever used sarcasm, then he was fed up to the back teeth and you were in a shitload of trouble.

That prospect made Edward even more unwilling to walk up to his father. Maybe running wouldn't be such a bad idea after all ... he was faster than Carlisle ...

_Argh, everything's just so damn complicated!_

It just wasn't fair, Edward thought, things like that only ever happened to him. He didn't plan them … well except for taking the keys, but everything else just happened.

And that he just left was only because his throat was burning and he needed a break from the constant buzzing in his head. That were perfectly reasonable reasons!

"Follow me," Carlisle said and walked on towards the house, hoping his son would catch the commanding tone in his voice and do as he's told.

When he glanced over his shoulder and saw that Edward was _still_ standing between the trees, he turned around again and his eyes darkened, a low growl rising in his throat which let his son know that this was the last straw.

"For crying out loud, Edward! If I have to tell you _one more time_ to come here to me and you refuse to comply, than I will tan your hide right here, right now. And then we'll talk."

Now that was some ultimatum.

And the way he looked and spoke showed that he was angry ... Carlisle barely got angry.

What a horrible, horrible day for Edward.

"Don't," he said, holding a hand in front of himself, signalising his father that he shouldn't rush. "I'm coming."

Carlisle, at seeing that he finally got through to his son, took a deep breath and nodded his head.

_'Your very last chance, Edward. I've had more than enough of you defying me, let me tell you,' _he thought to Edward.

And then Edward approached his father, who seemed to relax more and more with every step he took towards him.

Carlisle let just another thought seep through. _Good choice, son._

When Edward came closer, the forest scents were strong on him, as well as something else. There was the iron tang of fresh animal blood – mountain lion ... and maybe deer – and a tiny speck of blood on Edward's shirt collar confirmed that he had been hunting.

"You went hunting?" Carlisle asked disbelievingly while squinting at the brown spot.

"Yes," Edward said and averted his eyes, not sure how his father would react to that.

Carlisle was indeed surprised that Edward would sneek out for something as hunting. Hunting was of vital importance to them, necessary to keep themselves, as well as all the humans surrounding them, safe. The blood of animals was their type of nourishment and Carlisle would never consider starving his children when they had misbehaved - the thought alone was grotesque.

"You did the right thing to feed, but I don't understand why you didn't let me know that you were thirsty. Have I ever refused you to go hunting when you needed to?"

Edward shook his head. "No, Sir."

"What kept you from telling me that you needed to hunt then?" Carlisle asked calmly, a hint of worry in his voice.

"It wasn't a conscious decision," Edward murmured awkwardly. "I lost control over my ability and my throat was hurting, and next thing I knew I was already in the forest."

Carlisle gave him a scrutinizing look.

"Dad, I'm telling the truth!" Edward exclaimed.

Carlisle's gaze turned softer and he placed a hand on his son's back, giving it a gentle pat.

"Calm yourself, I believe you. You didn't join us yesterday, after all."

Edward made a face at remembering just why exactly he did not join the rest of the family the day before.

Giving his son a stern look now, Carlisle cleared his throat and queried, "And switching your phone off when I was trying to reach you wasn't a conscious decision either, I may assume?"

"I- that was you?" Edward stuttered - that information obviously surprised him. He looked up at his father with a very confused expression on his face.

"Yes son, it was me," Carlisle affirmed.

Oh.

Edward bit his lip, feeling a little embarassed now. "I'm sorry, I thought it was Emmett and then I wanted to hunt and so I -"

"I understand," Carlisle replied, cutting his son off before he would grow even more nervous.

They walked on in silence then, until Carlisle spoke again.

"I am glad that you are ready to talk, son." The way he said it sounded like praising - he was really relieved that Edward would cease behaving like a little child and be ready to discuss the matter.

"Talk about what?" Edward asked, somewhat jokingly, hoping it would lift his Dad's mood a little. He had screwed up in more ways than one, after all, there were many things to discuss. So pretending to not know what he was getting at was funny, right?

Edward did not anticipate the smack that was aimed for his posterior then. Carlisle's hand connected sharply with his behind, drawing a yelp from him and making him jump. As if stung by an adder, Edward quickly stepped out of the line of fire and his hands flew back to protect his backside from further swats.

With wide eyes and mouth agape, he looked up at his father.

"Is this the right time for jokes, Edward? Do you think it was in any way_ amusing_ what you did?" Carlisle asked with a stern face, his arms folded across his chest.

Edward looked bashfully at the ground at his father's strict tone.

"No, sir," he muttered, embarrassed at his own stupidity. He felt like Emmett - joking at the most inconvenient times, always making it worse for himself.

After staring at his son for a moment longer, Carlisle then uncrossed his arms and said, "Now come."

Now Edward knew that nothing could make light of the situation. But, except for the stinging smack, it had been worth a try.

They reached the house and entered through the open French windows.

Carlisle had briefly considered doing the talking outside on the porch as it was a more relaxed and comfortable atmosphere than it would be in his study. But now he figured that it would distract his son too much. And Edward had spend enough time outside already – hopefully he had enjoyed his little trip as it would be the last one for quite a while.

Edward grew even more nervous when they stepped into the house. He fell behind as Carlisle walked on towards the stairs and, of course, Carlisle noticed.

With a huff, he stopped and grabbed his son by the upper arm.

"To my study," he ordered and pushed his son in front of himself.

He would not leave him out of his sight any more, not tonight.

"Sorry," Edward mumbled and ascended the stairs with quick steps, even though his feet felt like lead. He was not looking forward to the talk and he dreaded his father's study. But stalling now and thereby irritating his father further wasn't an option; it wouldn't end well for him if he did.

He made his way to Carlisle's study, opened the door and entered.

Carlisle was right behind him and pointed to a chair in front of his dark mahogany desk. "Take a seat, son," he said and closed the door.

They were alone in the house so there was actually no need for shutting the door. They had enough privacy, but somehow it made the impending discussion more serious. Carlisle wanted Edward to understand that this wasn't a joke to him, that he had committed several offences and would be held accountable for them now.

It would do his son good to finally realize the severity of his misdeeds.

With a few long strides Carlisle reached his big desk chair and sat down, before lifting his head to look at Edward.

"Sit!" he called exasperatedly when he saw that Edward was still standing next to the chair. "What's the matter with you?"

Edward gave him an apologetic look before quickly sitting down in the wooden chair, eyes fixed on his folded hands lying in his lap.

"That wasn't a rhetorical question, Edward. I would like to know what's going on with you that you keep on defying me today. First your mother, now me. Why do you feel the need to do that?"

"I don't know," Edward mumbled.

"Look at me and give a proper answer, 'I don't know' is not acceptable," he reprimanded, before adding, "These words don't belong in my study."

Edward lifted his head and looked at his father.

"I didn't mean to defy you, honestly! It was just – I needed time to think," Edward uttered, then dropped his gaze again.

Carlisle sighed. He was very curious about the explanation Edward would give him for his behaviour. Defying him because he needed time to think? What was that supposed to mean? "What did you need to think about?"

"About what I did wrong." It was the best he could come up with. Parents, and especially his parents, always wanted their children to think about their mistakes, why they did them and how they could prevent them from happening again. Otherwise there would be no learning effect, just an unfair punishment and anger. And nobody would benefit from that.

"And spending time in your room would not have given you the chance to think about it? You needed to go the extra mile and disobey me once more?" Carlisle wasn't saying that because Edward went hunting, it was about the lack of notification about his whereabouts. And when he told Edward to come to him, he did not react - that was just unacceptable. He could have said to him that he needed some time, no problem. But not saying a word and practically ignoring him out there ... Edward knew better, there certainly had been no need for that. "I told you several times to come to me, but you did not move. Why?"

That question made Edward's temper show for a moment. "I just told you!" he shouted indignantly.

Carlisle's eyes bore into Edward's, until Edward dropped his gaze again.

_Watch your tongue, son._

Then Carlisle remembered something that he wanted an explanation to. It was something very, very serious.

He slowly reached down and pulled the heavy drawer of his desk open. Edward looked up and anxiety was flickering in his his eyes - he obviously knew what was coming now.

Carlisle still did not look down, but kept his eyes on Edward. The tense atmosphere was hard to endure for Edward, because he knew what his Dad was getting at now. "Last time I opened this drawer, which was this morning I might add, " Carlisle said, "I did not notice anything out of the ordinary. Could you tell me why?"

Edward did not utter a peep.

"No?" Carlisle asked with raised eyebrows and shook his head lightly, never taking his eyes off his son. "Then I will tell you: I did not notice anything, because everything in _my_ drawer appeared to be _exactly_ where it is supposed to be, exactly where_ I_ put it."

Then he raised an eyebrow, waiting for his son to react to what he just said.

Nothing.

Carlisle blinked once. "Appearances are often deceiving ... aren't they?"

Edward kept a stony silence, so Carlisle slowly reached into his drawer. His hand was a fist when it reappeared, and Carlisle let it hover over the desk surface. He opened his hand, and out fell a little leather pouch, a car remote attached to it.

But, of course, Carlisle wasn't done yet. He poked at the pouch, then picked it up again and pressed down on either end so it would open up and reveal its empty interior. Yes, a set of car keys was _supposed_ to be in there; Edward understood that hint.

Then Carlisle placed the pouch back onto the table and held both his hands on either side of the little thing, as though he was presenting it to his son. But what his gesture actually meant was that _now_ would be the right time for his son to start _explaining_.

During the next moments of sheer silence - because Edward did not know what to say - Carlisle's gaze turned into a piercing stare. "You stole from my drawer," he said in a dangerously calm voice which told Edward that his father's blood was boiling.

Stealing. A major offence.

Edward's heart would have been hammering in his chest by now, if it still could. But instead it was just as cold and unmoving as it had been for the last 85 years.

"Explain."

After a brief silence, Edward finally got the courage to say something.

"It's all Rosalie's fault!" he suddenly blurted and jumped out of his seat.

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><p><strong>How was that?<strong>

**I'm really trying to make it a little suspenseful ... it's more fun that way. Well, for me anyways :D**

**Please REVIEW and tell me what you think of this chapter! Oh, and tell me if you would like to read a story about Rose and Esme!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello my dear readers!**

**First of all: Thank you for your reviews, I absolutely love reading them! Keep 'em coming guys, you are fantastic! You might not believe it, but your reviews really motivate me to write! I know this update took forever, but it got longer and longer and longer and ... well, yeah. I just wanna make it good for you :-/****  
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**Oh, btw: The Rosalie-story would be very strongly connected to this one here ... that's why I had trouble deciding whether I wanted to add it to this one or make it a whole new story. Haha, my idea is rather silly, you'll see ... but I would still like to write and post it ;-)  
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**Uhm ... that's it for now! Read the next chapter!  
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><p><em>"It's all Rosalie's fault!" he suddenly blurted and jumped out of his seat.<em>

Carlisle had to admit that this exclamation baffled him to a certain degree. What did Edward just say? It was _Rosalie's _fault that he stole from him?

He replayed it in his mind, to check if he maybe heard wrong. He was over three hundred years old, after all.

But no - his hearing was still as good as it's ever been and Edward had indeed blamed his sister for his actions.

Huh.

Funny enough, Carlisle obviously wasn't the only one who was surprised by that exclamation; Edward's eyes were so wide that they seemed to pop out of their sockets any second.

Quickly, Edward tried to regain himself – he stood up straighter and squared his shoulders, trying to look confident in front of his father. But, inside he was feeling an overwhelming sense of panic.

_Oh no, no, no …_

Why did he just say that? How the heck was he supposed to explain? Well, Rosalie had been bugging him for the past two weeks, but Carlisle would probably not believe him that she was solely to blame for everything that happened.

Edward flinched a little when Carlisle spoke again.

"Rosalie's fault?" he asked with raised eyebrows and folded his hands on the table in front of himself. "Please sit down and explain to me how it was Rosalie's fault, Edward."

Edward gave him a curt nod, then slowly sat back down in his seat - slowly, because he needed some time while trying to come up with a good explanation, and this was the only way he could think of right now.

When his butt met the wooden seating surface of the chair, much too soon if you'd ask him, he could have rolled his eyes at the plain fact that he hadn't tried to stall a little more. His Dad's eyes were on him, watching him, and he knew that an answer was expected. Preferably _now_.

Then, since Edward had nothing better to do, he averted his eyes while still trying to find a proper explanation - one that would make sense.

But no need to say that even though he was willing his mind to yield answers, it stubbornly remained blank. Now he had nothing that would prove him innocent in all of this … hm, maybe because he _wasn't_ innocent. Of course he knew that he wasn't, he wasn't _that_ stupid, but he figured that it wasn't entirely his fault either … maybe? Please?

"So?" Carlisle asked after a while, too patient for words.

His voice abruptly pulled his son out of his musings, the deer-in-headlights look was proof of that.

Edward still did not know what to say, but the look of scrutiny and inquiry in Carlisle's eyes threatened to change into an angry look, so he needed to act fast.

And, like before, he just said the first thing that came to his mind. "Rosalie is ... mean!"

Well _bravo_, Edward. A brilliant explanation, very good.

Rosalie is mean, because mean people are mean.

In a perfect world, Carlisle would agree completely now, slap his forehead with the flat of his hand at his own stupidity and apologize profusely. Then both of them would shake hands, all the while laughing about this stupid, little misunderstanding. Everything was bearing the hallmarks of Rosalie, how could Carlisle ever assume Edward was capable of committing such crimes? Pshaw, absurd! And then Carlisle would hand his son the keys for the Volvo, for sure.

Unfortunately, they were not living in a perfect world and Edward needed to let go of his little daydream and face reality.

And since he didn't explain any further, Carlisle figured that it was his turn now.

He cleared his throat, ready to do the talking now so they would hopefully get somewhere - and soon. Carlisle was still planning to spend some time with his wife today after all.

"Do you want me to guess?" Carlisle asked, steepled his fingers and tapped them lightly against his lips. His eyes narrowed a few times, like he was really thinking about reasons why Edward would make such a statement.

And then he was ready to voice his guesses.

"She blackmailed you and that's why you cannot tell me now?"

No answer.

"Did she ... force you to take the keys? Or ... maybe dared you to do it? Tell me."

Edward was stone-still, his face a blank mask. Only his eyes showed a little movement - he was searching his mind for something that would maybe make sense.

Carlisle noticed the contemplating look in his son's eyes. If Edward was willing to speak the truth, he would have done so long ago. But this seemed like he was trying to make up a story to get out of trouble. Carlisle had experience with his children's habits in situations like these.

Emmett was the most creative when it came to talking himself out of a punishment. But he tended to go way overboard with his stories, which always gave him away fairly quickly. The girls did what girls could do best: fluttering their eyelashes and playing innocent. And Edward - he kept silent until he had an excuse. The more time passed, the more likely it was that he was lying.

"Edward, lie to my face now and I will sell that car," Carlisle threatened stonily, annoyed with himself that he would need to adopt such measures.

And his son's eyes went wide.

_The Volvo? Oh, no no no! NO!_

Edward, clearly in a panic about the prospect of losing his car, started explaining immediately and he stumbled on his words. "She has been teasing me for the past two weeks! Every single day! And then Emmett joins in and I have to endure their stupid comments."

"She is teasing you," Carlisle repeated in a dry tone.

"Yes."

"And that's why you took the keys."

"Yes," Edward confirmed in a sulky tone and glared at the delicate carvings around the edge of the desk top, like they were to blame for all this mess.

"Huh," Carlisle said and it made Edward look up, a startled expression on his face. Normally his Dad was a bit more eloquent than _that_.

But Carlisle did not notice the look his son gave him, just leaned back in his seat and crossed his legs. He folded his hands against his stomach and continued with a thoughtful expression.

"So it really is all Rosalie's fault," he said slowly, musing, and nodded his head. "Her teasing made you steal the keys from me, take the Volvo for a joy ride, then defy your mother, yell at her and get rough with her. Then, because she _still_ wasn't satisfied, she made you scratch my car, sneak out and defy me even more," Carlisle said in a certain tone of voice, like now it all made sense to him.

_Uh-oh, sarcasm ... Danger! Danger!_

"That girl is clearly in desperate need of some discipline," Carlisle concluded and watched his son squirm under his penetrating gaze.

_Okay, it did sound a tat bit stupid when he put it _that_ way..._

Then Carlisle scooted closer and leaned in, his hands folded on the edge of the desk. "Can we put the nonsense aside now and start discussing this?" he queried sternly. "I have half a mind to whip you right now, so please give me a reason to hear you out first."

Seeing how very close he was to getting his rear end roasted, Edward decided that talking was indeed an excellent idea. So he opened his mouth to explain just what might be one of the reasons why he had snapped; he wanted to speak with a confident voice, but unfortunately it came out sounding more like a whine. "Dad, she bought a booster seat and put it in the back seat of her car, telling me it was where I was supposed to sit from now on and she could strap me in if I needed help. I am so sick of her!"

Now that was news to Carlisle. Rosalie was obviously taking her teasing to a whole new level, and he would – again - need to talk to his dear little daughter about her mean behaviour. Fortunately Edward was able to control himself and did not attack Rose. But enough about Rose, right now Edward was in the spotlight.

"We are talking about your behaviour now, Edward."

Edward gasped, offended by his Dad's lack of sympathy. "But listen! I-"

"No Edward, _you_ listen!" Carlisle snapped at him, then pinched the bridge of his nose, not wanting to lose his cool.

Shaking his head in disappointment that Edward was still completely without remorse, he sighed, "I cannot believe that after everything you did you still refuse to take responsibility for your actions, and then have the audacity to blame your sister."

"You are always taking her side, just because she's a girl," Edward accused and turned away from his father.

Carlisle took his hand away from his face and looked at Edward. "I am not taking anyone's side, but you have to admit that your explanation left much to be desired. We will talk to Rosalie as well as Emmett about this, don't you worry about that. But this talk now is about you."

"But -" Edward said while in the process of standing up, but Carlisle cut him off. He was fed up with Edward's sorry excuses, but's and if's.

"It's enough! There is no excuse!" he suddenly called out, his voice booming and echoing off the walls.

Carlisle was yelling now ... he only did so on very rare occasions, and he hated yelling. He always wanted to be in control of himself, and he detested moments when said control slipped. But having witnessed his son pushing past his wife and then finding out that he stole from him, was a little too much for one day. No wonder his anger flared.

Edward, with his hands still on the armrests of the chair, sat back down and lowered his gaze, mentally kicking himself for his inability to man up. But his Dad's study always meant business, and it was making him nervous. Yes, it was a new house and a new study, but this room would serve the same purpose it always had.

"Are you ready to talk about _your_ behaviour now?" Carlisle queried, watching his son narrowly.

"Yes," Edward mumbled and his voice was barely above a whisper.

"What was that? Your are not talking to yourself or the table, so look at me and answer my question," Carlisle demanded.

"Yes, Sir," Edward said louder than before and lifted his gaze.

"Good. Then explain to me now when and why you felt the need to steal from me." Carlisle was still appalled about that. _Stealing_. What has gotten into his son? He certainly raised him better than that.

"I ... well, I was -" he started to stutter, but then broke off when he noticed the sharp look his father was giving him.

Bracing himself with a deep breath, Edward then tried anew. "I was unhappy with the fact that I wasn't allowed to drive."

"You mean that you _aren't_ allowed to drive," Carlisle corrected him. "That will not change, son. Now go on."

Well, that clarification brought a fresh wave of Edward's temper to the surface.

"_That's not fair!_ I don't get caught, because I _cannot_ get caught! Why do you still want to keep me from driving my car? !" he roared and jumped out of his chair, knocking it backwards in the process. Then he stood there with balled fists, his eyes dark and his chest heaving with quickened breath.

Whether he was challenging him or just letting his anger show, Carlisle did not know. But he would definitely not wait to find out.

He was with his son in the blink of an eye and had him tightly by the shoulder, roughly pushing his upper body onto the desk and giving him two hard smacks to his behind. He held him down, and waited to see if Edward would get his temper under control and stop struggling or if he needed some more '_help'_ with that. To make the decision easier for Edward, he let him get a glimpse of his mind so he could see how very close he was to earning himself an extra whipping before the actual whipping.

And indeed, Edward was quick on the uptake and realised in what situation he was in, especially because his behind was smarting now. Through his father's eyes he saw the firm grip he had on his shoulder and the other hand being raised high in the air, ready to strike again.

Strike what? His defenceless bottom, of course.

It was dead certain by now that he would get a hiding for his misdeeds, so if he didn't get a grip on himself now, the fire that would soon scorch his buttocks might be a lot worse than usually during and after a spanking. The thought of that alone made his anger disappear almost instantly - nervousness took its place.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean to yell at you," Edward said in a subdued voice and stopped trying to get up. He let his cheek rest on the smooth surface of the desk and held his breath in nervous anticipation, hoping his father would accept his apology and not discipline him further for his outburst.

And indeed, Carlisle loosened his grasp on Edward's shoulder after a moment and let him back up.

"Don't let it happen again," he admonished, while holding up a warning finger when they were face to face again. It was a gesture meant for little kids, but the way Edward was behaving it might work on him, too.

Why he still had so much patience with his wayward son, Carlisle did not know. Maybe it was because this drama was the first to occur since they had arrived here in Forks. Well, there was the bickering between Rosalie and Edward, but nothing grave that would warrant punishment. Or maybe because he loathed having to punish his children - and he did not want to give his son several spankings in one day. Parenting teenage vampires wasn't as easy as it may seem.

Edward nodded. "Yes, sir."

Carlisle remained standing next to his son for a little longer, giving the warning a moment to sink in before he pointed to the chair lying on the floor. "Now pick that up and sit down."

Edward hastily complied and picked the chair up, then placed it back in front of the desk. He sat, while Carlisle walked back to his chair behind the desk.

Sitting down, he then continued the talk exactly where they left off.

"Edward, it is not yet your car. It will be in a few months, not a moment sooner. And the fact that I kept the keys should have told you that, as well as the talk we had not too long ago."

Edward's breathing got quicker and he looked away from his father, slightly aggravated it seemed.

Carlisle noticed this and narrowed his eyes - partly in warning and partly because he was reaching the end of the line with his son. "Would you be so kind as to repeat what our talk had been about?"

Edward didn't say anything for a moment, then groaned. "It was about moving and school."

"Specify, please."

Edward looked sideways, obviously remembering the talk and not willing to repeat it.

"Edward," Carlisle said sharply and stood up.

Edward's unwillingness suddenly vanishing into thin air when he saw that. His father had probably reached his limit – better keep that temper under control.

"Mom wanted to move back here. She talked about nothing else for the past few years ... she found this house, had it renovated and furnished and we all knew this was not just for a short-time stay." Even though five years was short to them, too, it was the longest they could stay in one place at a time. No, a real short-time stay was maybe a year or two, nothing worth mentioning.

"Go on," Carlisle nodded and sat back down. Finally Edward was showing compliance.

"I was tired of attending high school and did not want to move here ... and I know Rosalie didn't want to, either." Somehow only he and Rose were against moving, whereas everyone else was looking forward to it.

"What did we tell you when you voiced your objections to us then?"

"You said we could stay home and tell people we get home-schooled ... or we could travel for a while to have something else to do apart from acting human. You told us to choose some subjects we may be interested in and attend college."

Carlisle nodded his head. "You decided against these options."

"Yes." Why he did so, he wasn't sure. Maybe because he loved his family, or he liked having a home where he could relax and not need to pretend to be someone or _something_ else. Ugh, moving wasn't that bad – he had no idea why he was against moving here. This place was as good as any other.

"Edward, are a few months of not driving really that much of a sacrifice for you? It ensures you_ years_ of living in one place. No moving, no leaving everything behind, no stress."

Edward had nothing to say to that, because it was true. Having to move because of humans getting suspicious was tiring - it always ripped them out of their daily life and they needed to start all over. But as long as they managed to play their parts, they could lead a next to normal life.

"Everyone makes sacrifices, you are not the only one," Carlisle told him, trying to make him see sense.

"I know," Edward moaned and rubbed his hands over his face. He hated it when he screwed up, because once he realised that it was indeed his fault, he felt guilt and shame, which made him angry - angry with himself for being so stupid.

"What else did I tell you?" Carlisle queried and looked at him expectantly.

Edward dropped his hands back to his lap and looked at his father. "You promised you would get the car for me as soon as we arrive in Forks."

Carlisle and Esme didn't mean to bribe Edward with the new car, so he would comply and play his part - they couldn't and wouldn't force him to go to school; it was for him to decide how he wanted to spend his eternal life.

No, the brand-new Volvo was a recompense for the time he wouldn't be able to drive. A present. He could have taken a year off school if he wanted to and start later - he was free to decide for himself. But once he made a decision, he had to stick to it. If he wouldn't, he might endanger the rest of the family, draw attention to them - and that was something Carlisle would not tolerate. They couldn't take their safety for granted, they needed to ensure that their cover worked all the time, had to keep a low profile.

"What did you promise in return?"

"I promised not to drive it." Edward replied and had to fight the urge to avert his eyes. Breaking a promise, stealing, … he felt bad.

Carlisle leaned back in his seat again. "Did I keep my promise?" he asked.

"Yes, you did," Edward murmured.

"Did you keep your promise?"

No response.

Clearing his throat, Carlisle asked again. "Edward, did you keep your promise?"

Edward narrowed his eyes at his father, tired of the stupid interrogation. Carlisle asked questions he already knew the answer to - it was infuriating.

The look on his son's face incurred Carlisle's displeasure. He clenched his jaw and hoped his son had enough sense to not challenge him right then, because he was close to losing it.

"_Would you answer my question?_" he demanded angrily, a spark of rage flickering in his eyes.

"You know the answer! What's this stupid charade all about, huh?"

Carlisle stood up from his chair, rounded the desk and pulled his son up by his upper arm. Edward's gulped before looking up into the angry face of his father.

"Choose your words carefully, my son, or I will not grant you the chance to speak anymore and we proceed right to your punishment," Carlisle whispered fiercely.

Edward nodded his head, then was pushed back into his chair. Carlisle marched to his leather chair behind his desk and seated himself.

This day was pure stress for Edward, and he was completely on edge; he really had a hard time watching his mouth and he cursed his blasted vampire nature for it.

"What was your first mistake?" Carlisle asked, folding his hands on the desk, never taking his eyes off his son.

Edward needed a moment to find his voice, but then he hesitantly spoke. "I took the keys."

"You _stole_ from me. Edward, you betrayed my trust. Do I have to be concerned that you are making a habit out of taking things that don't belong to you? Do I have to lock the door to my study now to make sure you don't abstract things?"

Edward bit his lip to keep the venom tears from welling up in his eyes. The thought of having lost his Dad's trust was killing him. "No, I'm so sorry I took the keys! It won't happen again, I promise!"

"Yes, it better not happen again," Carlisle admonished and his eyes blazed. "Stealing is despicable, dishonest and offending. I do not raise my children to be thieves."

Then he took a calming breath before continuing. "You always get whatever you ask for from us. And now, this one time, something doesn't go your way, so you decide to ignore the rules. Frustration does not justify stealing, Edward. You would not believe how very tempted I am just now to sell that car down there." That car had brought nothing but trouble and it disgruntled him that he let his wife and son talk him into getting it so early. _Never again._

Edward swallowed nervously, knowing that Carlisle wasn't done lecturing him.

"And then you have the nerve to drive the car!" Carlisle exclaimed, his arms raised in disbelief. Then his eyes were back on Edward, and his expression hardened once again. "I don't care if you think you won't get caught by the police - other people might recognise you. Or your control over your ability might just slip and then you end up in jail." Every parents' nightmare – bailing your children out of jail.

Carlisle closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. It was just so hard to believe that Edward did all that without even sparing a single thought about their safety. "Edward, we are a family. We need to be able to rely on each other, to take each other by the word. Your behaviour was ignorant and irresponsible."

Edward did not like being called ignorant or irresponsible, but his father was right in a way. He had been so upset that he selfishly blocked the rest of his family out.

"I'm really sorry," he said and he looked distressed.

"Let's address the next topic, shall we?" Carlisle asked, but did not wait for an answer.

"I do not ever want to hear you yell at your mother again, much less hurt her like you did today." His voice was dangerous now, and the way he spoke was bordering on growling. Protecting his mate was an instinct, no matter from whom he would need to protect her. In other covens the simple action of pushing past the coven leader's mate would have been enough to get ripped to shreds - but not necessarily burned immediately afterwards. The wicked preferences of some vampires - torturing instead of killing.

But they weren't just a coven, they were a family, and Carlisle would never kill his children or dismember them. No, he knew other methods to deal with their behaviour.

Edward scooted forward in his chair and had his hands on the armrests, ready to shoot up into a standing position ... or remain seated, he did not know. Hearing his Dad say that he hurt his mother had him on the edge of despair. "I-I did not mean to do that, you have to believe me! You know I would never hurt Esme!" He was frantic, his eyes and voice pleading.

"But you did and there is no excuse for it," Carlisle returned and the way his jaw clenched showed just how serious he took it.

Edward bowed his head, unable to hold his Dad's gaze any longer. Guilt gnawed at his insides and he wished so much for Esme to be here with them. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was and ask for her forgiveness - he couldn't bear the thought of her being furious with him or think of him as a violent person.

Carlisle saw the change in his son's demeanour and chose to continue, even though it hurt him to see his son so distraught. But all these emotions Edward was feeling would give him something to think about, encourage him to really learn from his mistakes; he could only benefit from that.

"If you cannot keep your temper under control while home, how do you do it when you are among humans? They might aggravate you, too – then what? Edward, we talked about this countless times. Take a break if you feel you cannot control yourself. What you did today shall _never_ happen again, it was hurtful and disrespectful. Esme is your mother and she certainly doesn't deserve to be treated like that."

A visible layer of venom gleamed in Edward's eyes – it was obvious that he felt guilt and remorse, and he was unable to keep his body from showing it.

"The next thing I would like to address is your disobedience and your disrespect. I don't like to repeat myself, but today you constantly ignored your mother and me for childish reasons. Son, we don't ask for the impossible, we just expect you to show us the same respect we show you and to not defy our every word. Where is your sudden defiance coming from?"

Edward hung his head, all the while chewing on his bottom lip. He had no answer to his father's question and he wasn't sure if he could speak without sounding like a five-year-old.

"And last but not least, you blamed Rosalie for your mistakes. I cannot _believe_ you would try something like that. I understand that she teased you and that is something I don't like either. But you and _only_ you are responsible for what you do, no one else." was Carlisle's fitting rebuke.

Regarding the uncomfortable atmosphere in the room as reason to finish his lecture quickly, Carlisle cleared his throat loudly to catch his son's attention once more.

"Your behaviour has been nothing but atrocious and disrespectful and I will put an end to it today, rest assured," he promised with a meaningful look in his eyes and Edward suddenly had a strong sense of ominous foreboding.

_Uh-oh._

"Is there anything you would like to say to me before we proceed?" Carlisle questioned with his hands already on the edge of his desk.

Edward gulped and hesitantly glanced at his father. "No, sir."

"Very well, then let us not delay this any further," Carlisle said decisively and stood up from his chair.

And Edward sat there, his eyes going wide while he felt his heart sinking to his boots.

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><p><strong>O.o <strong>**I think next chapter means business ... aaah!**

**Edward screwed up in more ways than one, so I still need to make up my mind what else Carlisle has in store for him. We'll see! *g* Poor boy ...  
><strong>

**Now ... what do you think of this chapter? **

**Please REVIEW! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys!**

****Thank you so very much for your reviews! I am so glad you still enjoy reading this story :-D****

**Unfortunately I had almost next to no time to do any writing, that's why I couldn't update any sooner :-/ And I am not even sure if this chapter here turned out the way I wanted ... well, I hope the rest of the week will be better for me and I can write another one before the weekend!**

** Now let me give you a warning: Spanking in this chapter, so consider yourself warned! If it's not your cup of tea then move along, nothing to see here! *byebye***

**But if you read further than this line, you will find out why our compassionate Carlisle adopts such measures in my stories. Please keep in mind that t****hey ****are ****_not _****human**** (that's something a lot of people tend to forget).**

* * *

><p>Oh dear.<p>

Edward did so not want to get up from the chair and follow his Dad, but he also wanted this spanking to be over with as quickly as possible. Getting punished for his 'mistakes' was inevitable, after all.

Why couldn't he just have a more useful gift? Like … being able to make time pass faster? Or being insensitive to pain? That would be one hell of a gift. Not this stupid mind-reading. Mind-reading sucked when your Dad was blocking you out.

His little thoughts and musings kept his mind occupied for a few seconds, helping him to calm the nervousness he was feeling and forget about the looming correction of his unfortunate misbehaviour. But as he lifted his head, he couldn't help but flinch when he noticed Carlisle towering over him.

How long had he been standing so close to him?

"I just told you to stand up," Carlisle said with a serious look on his face; he was more than just tired of his son's stalling.

_Oops._

Edward bit his lip and nodded his head, hoping he wouldn't be too distracted again to hear his father talking to him. It really wasn't his intention to aggravate his Dad further - he had already done an awesome job with that it seemed.

Carlisle walked over to his dark leather couch with the deep hand-tufting and pleated rolled arms, hitched up his jeans a little and then sat down.

The upholstery of the couch made a squeaking sound as he sat, and Edward's eyes went wider as he saw Carlisle getting comfortable and then looking expectantly up at him.

To be honest, watching him sit down and thus getting ready for doling out the punishment, evoked more than just a slightly unnerving feeling in Edward.

This couch, this beautiful dark brown leather couch Carlisle kept in his study for more than thirty-four years already – yes, no matter where they moved to, it would not be left behind - had never been used for just sitting down and chatting.

Edward knew his Dad fancied his couch. He liked the pattern, the quality and how it matched the rest of the furniture and interior décor of his study. He loved the warm smell of the leather and just how comfortable it was for reading. But whenever it was occupied by more than one person, it lost its original function.

It became the couch of _doom_ … yes, Emmett liked to call it that, but Edward found it to be exceptionally fitting as well.

Now that Carlisle was in position to start, Edward's situation seemed utterly hopeless. Carlisle had made up his mind and he certainly wouldn't change it again.

No more "Please Daddy, I did not mean to", no more "I promise to do better", no more "It's not my fault". Yeah, the last one wouldn't do much good anyways. He tried and just look where it got him ... _grr, stupid Rose._

He would get a thrashing now whereas she could continue to flounce around.

This was the really sucky side of their vampire nature – other punishments hadn't much effect on them and Carlisle knew that.

Groundings as well as doing lines or standing in a corner were laughable punishments, typically _human_ – Carlisle only chose them as a warning so that his children would know they were 'on probation'. It did help to make them think about their actions, but in the end did not succeed in changing much for long.

No, it wasn't that Edward and his siblings wanted to ridicule these punishments, it was just that they weren't all that affected by them. After all they were no humans. They did not sleep, they did not tire – they just couldn't feel physically exhausted. Nothing would ever really strain their muscles or cause them cramps ... they only might get bored. And boredom was the first step to further mischief or pranks, at least when it came to Emmett.

In addition, vampires were a lot more - in lack of a better word – _stubborn_ than humans. They did not always plan everything through before they acted; it came with their nature - instincts, temper and, no doubt, a good portion of cockiness. Besides, not only their bodies were frozen since they were transformed - their personality and their way of thinking was somehow as well - no matter their age, or their life experience or even their brains. So it did not matter how many years they have already lived in their unchanging form; they were set in their ways, unable to continue to mentally mature. They do get wiser with time, more educated and smart, but that does not change much about their behaviour. For that, they always need some kind of 'motivation'.

Vampires following a traditional diet either lived by their own rules or their coven leader's rules. So if you were part of a coven, then threats and punishments were always looming over you. Not a stern talking-to, not a slap on the wrist, it was more like ... lose a limb or lose a life. Yours or your mate's.

And why would situations like these occur?

Well, despite that the physical and mental abilities of vampires far exceed those of humans, vampires were still very much subordinate to their basic instincts. Meaning: if they wanted something, they _wanted_ it. Blood or anything else they obsessed about. It was part of their survival instinct - self-protection came directly after that.

So yes, in order to get their priorities sorted out and keep themselves safe, they needed to heed warnings and regard them as motivation enough to behave properly.

But back to the Cullen family, which was clearly different than other vampire covens.

All of them shared a strong bond and were very protective of their family; nobody feared to get killed or ripped apart. It might be the result of their unique gifts or the conscience they developed over time. Feeding off animals to spare humans and the wish to live a peaceful life among them bound them together and let them act a lot more human than it was common for vampires.

But no matter how human they seemed or looked, it did not reach as far as getting rid of their stubborn vampire nature.

And that was Carlisle's call.

He had the self-control others were lacking, had the sense and the knowledge and the experience.

Therefore he knew how to take care of wayward teenage vampires.

The most common way to teach a vampire was through pain – well, either that or just plain old killing.

But since Carlisle was not willing to rip his own ... marble and venom? ... to shreds as form of punishment, he just ... well, _spanked_ them.

It seemed to be a very weird thing to do, very human and very old-fashioned.

But they came from times when this was a form of punishment well accepted all over the world. Carlisle's children accepted getting a spanking for bad behaviour, because that's how they had been raised in their human years, and that made it so effective.

Carlisle was probably one of the most sympathetic people on earth and therefore it seemed odd that he would discipline his children. He did not like violence and certainly detested the thought of permanently damaging someone. A spanking was nowhere near as severe as any other coven leader would handle disobedience. Dismembering as form of punishment to keep someone in line was definitely out of the question, for their family had a conscience and an understanding of things different from other vampires. It wasn't necessary to cause them the pain of losing a limb, whereas limiting their freedom wasn't enough either.

So as weird as it may sound, Carlisle was oddly relieved and pleased to find out that a simple spanking, something he was very much acquainted with since his early human childhood, would do the trick with his young vampire fledglings.

Too bad for Edward that he had to be the first one to feel that form of punishment during his newborn years, but it proved Carlisle right that that was the most harmless way to keep his beloved ones in line.

When Carlisle looked expectantly up at his son, Edward moaned.

"Can't you just ground me? This one time?" he asked in a rush, still a little reluctant to accept his fate.

Carlisle shook his head, a smirk that he tried to suppress appeared on his otherwise smooth, marble-like face. "After everything you did, you really think I would leave it at a grounding?"

_Um._ "I-"

"But you are right, for all your defiance today and the fact that you took that car for a joyride, you are grounded until you will be officially allowed to drive."

Seeing pigs fly wouldn't have shocked Edward any more than this statement. "That's more than two months!" he gasped disbelievingly.

"I am aware of that, son." A fact, a dry fact.

Edward's jaw dropped at the nonchalance in his father's voice.

Carlisle cleared his throat briefly and crossed his legs. "Would you like to hear what else is coming for you?"

No. No, he definitely would _not_ like to hear that, thank you very much. But would it change anything? The odds were against him.

Edward took a deep breath, then nodded. "Um ... yes, please."

_What a polite boy he was, Esme would be proud._

"Fantastic, I will tell you then," Carlisle responded and sat up a little straighter. "I want you to do chores for your mother for the same time as you are grounded. You are, however, allowed to leave the house as long as Esme or I are accompanying you or when you need to hunt."

Oh, and now came the really bad news, Edward could practically feel it.

"You could help her lay out the garden."

_Gah._

First of all, that was not a request.

And second, Esme was a perfectionist. It would be more than just a little irksome to do the garden with her. But in a very strange way, Edward was also looking forward to it. He would spend that time with his mother, and that way would get the chance to show her that he wasn't the Edward who had acted out today. No, he was still her sweet, loving son who could do no wrong, who was nothing but perfect in her eyes.

"Yes, sir."

Carlisle continued after hearing Edward agree. "Furthermore, as you may have guessed already, you will be receiving a spanking today because you stole from me."

Edward nodded his head, glad that the list wasn't that long - he had anticipated way worse.

"And another one tomorrow after school," Carlisle added casually while brushing invisible lint off his shoulder. Then he laced his fingers and looked back up at his son.

_Come again? Another one? ! _"But-"

Carlisle's eyes narrowed at Edward's interjection, and the look in his eyes silenced Edward before he could get another word out. Good, otherwise he might just get himself deeper in trouble.

And for your information, Carlisle did _not_ negotiate punishments.

"You blamed Rosalie for what you did. To me that equals lying, Edward."

Edward's eyes narrowed into slits at the mention of Rosalie, that's why he quickly hung his head so Carlisle would hopefully not notice.

"We can make it tomorrow _before_ school, if you'd prefer," Carlisle offered with his head tilted to the side, knowing that Edward would be quiet now. Before school would mean having to endure sitting on hard, wooden chairs for several hours, all the while trying to keep the squirming to a minimum so the human kids would not notice.

"No, I agree, Dad," Edward answered, somewhat begrudgingly. Yes, he did feel guilty and knew he would get punished, but hearing he would get two spankings sucked. A lot.

Two spankings was reserved for Emmett and his stupidity only, not him. And Rose could use some, too, for she was way too obnoxious as of late.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow, surprised that his son would - after all this defiance - show compliance now.

But alas, better late than never.

"Come here," Carlisle said and uncrossed his legs, his eyes fixed on Edward.

And Edward stood up from his chair.

Tentatively he walked over to his Dad, but made sure to keep a few feet distance between them. It wasn't a newly resurfacing defiance, he just wasn't completely sure what was expected of him now.

He was hoping against hope that it would be quick and over the jeans.

_Please, please, please ..._

"Unfasten your trousers, son," Carlisle said immediately and Edward's face turned into a slight pout.

He looked more like a twelve-year-old child than the seventeen-year-old man that he was.

He obviously hesitated for a second too long, because Carlisle shot towards him. His fingers got hold of one of Edward's belt loops, and then he pulled until Edward stood right in front of him.

Sitting back down, Carlisle started on the task of unfastening his son's jeans so they could finally get this over with. Neither of them thought this situation to be comfortable or even pleasant, so why keep on stalling?

He pulled Edward's belt out of the buckle and Edward took a step back.

Carlisle's hands dropped to his lap and he looked up at Edward; his eyes showed that he was thoroughly annoyed and fed up now.

"_Edw-_"

"I can do it myself," Edward snapped, successfully transforming his unwillingness into annoyance. Annoyance was still better than running, wasn't it?

"Watch your tone, young man, for I can always add more," Carlisle threatened while watching his son's expression turn from annoyed to bashful.

"Sorry, sir." Edward gulped and nodded his head, then started fumbling with his belt and the button of his jeans.

After successfully unbuttoning his jeans - it took him a moment to figure out how it worked because of his anxiety - he then opened the zipper, nearly taking it off.

Carlisle only pointed to his right side and Edward slowly stepped to the indicated point, then turned to the side like his father expected him to.

With one last glance at his father's face - most definitely to check if Carlisle was still determined to follow through with the dreadful punishment - he then pushed his jeans down to his knees and bent forward.

Carlisle guided him over his lap, because against his son's hopes, he had not changed his mind. And wouldn't anytime soon. Or ever.

Edward lay there with his upper body resting on the smooth sitting surface of the dark couch, and he buried his head in his arms. But all of a sudden he felt his father grabbing the waistband of his boxers and a gasp escaped his mouth while he looked back over his shoulder with wide eyes.

_Bare. _

So embarrassing.

Sure, he had been spanked on the bare before, several times, by Carlisle, but that it would happen again after he swore it to himself to never ever let his temper get out of hand again so his Dad would even consider doing that, was just frustrating and completely depressing.

He felt like a five-year-old boy who would get a smacking for stealing a cookie.

A five-year-old _human_ boy.

But he wasn't five, he wasn't human and he hadn't stolen a cookie but the keys to a car that he wasn't allowed to drive just yet.

So _okay_, he did understand why Carlisle would choose to administer the spanking like that, but he was not looking forward to it.

"Please ...," he whined but it did not keep Carlisle from doing as he planned.

He bared his son's behind, then tightened his hold around his waist and spoke again.

"Are you ready, son?"

If saying no would have the effect that he could walk out of this study unharmed and come back whenever he was indeed ready for it - which would be ... _never!_ - he would do so. But alas, luck would once again not be on his side, and so there was only one answer he could give his father.

He nervously cleared his throat, so his voice wouldn't be shaky or whiny or even defiant, and said, "Yes, sir."

And so it began.

Carlisle gave Edward's side a little pat before gripping his waist once again. His hold was strong and kept him in place, while the other hand was no doubt in the air, ready to forcefully fall down on his behind.

And indeed, about half a second later and Edward could hear the deafening crack first, then feel the burning sensation that shot through the area where Carlisle's hand struck.

The next smack.

Carlisle obviously wanted to make this as uncomfortable as possible, because he just smacked the same spot twice. Luckily it wasn't that bad yet - but it would be soon, no doubt about that.

Another smack.

This time his aiming point was the other cheek, bringing the familiar burning Edward was now anticipating. The force behind every slap was the same, and as the spanking proceeded Edward could feel how each stinging smack melted into the last.

Every spot was spanked twice to build up a mean, burning pain, then Carlisle concentrated on the opposite side, going down and up the other side again.

To Edward it seemed like his father's hand mimicked the steady rhythm of a beating heart.

First the sound, then the burn. Again and again.

That fact together with the pattern was calming at first, because Edward always knew where his father's hand would strike next. But after a dozen smacks it started to become hard to endure.

His butt was burning and knowing where that fire would blaze up next, made him squirm and breathe hard.

Carlisle was definitely not fooling around - he wanted to teach Edward a lesson he wouldn't forget anytime soon - and he had a reasonable chance of success.

"Ah!" Edward gasped when Carlisle picked up speed, letting the smacks rain down in quicker succession now. He was either finishing up or really getting started.

_Please let it not be the latter ..._

Edward was certain that if he would turn his head now and look his father in the eye, he would detect nothing but worry and determination.

Worry for he had to adopt such measures. Determination for making this one count.

Edward had never stolen from Carlisle or Esme before, he knew it was wrong. He learned that lesson while he was still a little boy, maybe around five ... it all came back to him now and the long-forgotten, blurry memory resurfaced in his mind.

He had once tried to nick a penny from his mother's purse to get himself some candy.

Unfortunately he hadn't been careful enough after pulling the shiny little coin from the leather purse, because when he heard the grandfather clock in the hallway strike noon, he got frightened at the sound, mistaking it for footsteps.

Quickly getting on his tip-toes to put the purse back on top of the rosewood chiffonier with the really pretty brass-beading in his parent's bedroom, he then wheeled back around to face the door, his heart hammering in his little chest. He strained his ears for approaching footsteps, nervous that his mother might have noticed his absence from the drawing room, when he suddenly heard that fateful thud of the purse hitting the ground and then the angry rattling and tinkling of coins. Because that was just the beginning of his streak of bad luck, the purse opened from the impact and out rolled the many, many coins.

He turned his head and stared fixedly at the floor, watching the coins roll around in a little semi-circle before settling down or disappearing underneath the furniture.

And then he froze when he heard his mother's quick steps heading for the room he was standing in, and he wondered how he ever could have mistaken the sound of the stupid clock for footsteps.

Only a moment later his mother appeared in the door, looking at her son with eyes widened in panic. The loud noises had startled her and she feared that her precious, little boy might have gotten hurt or the like.

But her expression abruptly changed when she saw dear little Edward with large eyes and lips shaped a perfect 'O'; and between his thumb and index finger a shiny little penny.

Then her eyes fell on her dark purse on the floor, open and half empty with the coins scattered all around it, and she put her arms on her hips while her eyes narrowed and she let out a huff.

All morning Edward had begged her for some money to get himself a bag of caramel, but she refused him the penny he was asking for. Just a few days ago he took the candy he got for his birthday and ate it all at once, making himself sick with all the sugar. And that's why she told him he couldn't have any now.

Edward watched the look on his mother's face change, and his childish mind told him that if he could get away quickly enough, he wouldn't be in trouble.

Ha, so silly when he thought about it now.

So he dropped the coin and with a little gasp, turned around and darted across the room, determined to slip under his parents' bed to hide.

But - too bad - he was still not out of bad luck. His mother was with him quicker than he would have anticipated and she got hold of his ankle, pulling him out from under the bed before he could disappear. She grabbed Edward under the arms and lifted him up ... and then he learned that stealing was a very, _very_ bad thing to do.

Yes, after that experience he never stole anything ever again.

But that was a different life, a different time and a different offence.

A very sharp slap pulled him out of his memory from long ago and he gritted his teeth to keep himself from crying out in pain.

Yes, this wasn't about a stupid penny or some candy that might make him sick; this was about him stealing car keys from his father's desk and then driving around, endangering his family with that stupid act.

His sight was already blurred by the thick venom pooling in his eyes, threatening to spill over any moment. But he could get glimpses of Carlisle's mind now, and they were razor-sharp.

Carlisle felt completely horrible for causing his son pain, and the control over shielding his thoughts from Edward began to slip.

It made Edward feel even worse now. The guilt over disappointing his parents and all the things he'd done, the pain from the spanking, and now the guilt for making his father feel that way.

Carlisle was struggling with himself over every single smack.

Of course he didn't want Edward to know, that's why he kept his mental shield up, but unbeknown by himself, it was crumbling. He wanted to seem resolute, strict and unrelenting in front of his children when it came to punishment.

But Edward could see the truth and it crashed down on him with the force of a tsunami.

And at that moment, the thick venom in his eyes spilled over and sobs escaped his mouth. No matter how hard he tried to suppress them, tried to press his lips together to remain silent, the sobs were loud and audible.

He buried his face in his folded arms, and let the sleeves of his shirt soak up the excessive venom that was seeping from his eyes.

And Carlisle stopped.

Of course Edward noticed immediately, and he was glad his father went more or less easy on him today. He certainly did not deserve such lenity, but he welcomed it with wide-open arms.

But then a glimpse at his father's next thoughts and his breath caught.

"Dad! I learned my lesson, please don't -"

But before he could protest any further, Carlisle had already raised his right knee to gain better access to the yet mostly unharmed sit spots.

Half a dozen smacks in quick succession, that had Edward howling by the way, and it was finally over.

The sudden silence, now that the deafening sounds were no longer, was only interrupted by Edward's hiccups and silent sniffling.

He tried to get it under control, to ease his Dad's pain, but when he felt his boxers and jeans being pulled up, a sharp hiss emerged from his throat.

His butt was sore, the skin felt like it had been scorched and he was still ashamed of himself. Ashamed that he of all people would commit such crimes, and then say it was entirely somebody else's fault the moment he saw the strict look in his father's eyes.

"It's all right, son, shh," Carlisle whispered, and placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

Edward ran his sleeve over his face, trying to wipe the venom away that showed he was crying. The shirt was already ruined, so he did not bother to go looking for a tissue.

"I won't do it again," Edward managed to say, then fell into his father's open arms.

"Ssh, I know you won't, Edward, I know. You're forgiven, it's all right," Carlisle soothed him and hugged him to himself, his hand rubbing the back of Edward's head.

Edward calmed gradually, until a faint 'Huh'- sound escaped his mouth. Carlisle loosened the embrace to look at Edward in order to find out why or about what he was expressing his confusion.

For a millisecond Edward's eyes darted back to the clock on the wall, before he looked at Carlisle.

Smirking at his Dad and shaking his head a little, Edward pretended that it was nothing important.

Well, it wasn't - he was just a little surprised that this seemingly endless spanking had lasted not even a minute.

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><p><strong>Okay ... I have no idea what made me write that part about his Mom, but I hope you did not mind! I just started writing and then it happened, haha.<strong>

**Now please leave a REVIEW and tell me what you think of this chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys!  
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****A huge THANK YOU for your reviews!****

**Please forgive me for the long wait ... I didn't enjoy doing that, but sometimes you just don't have enough time, right?**

**And I'm halfway done with the next chapter, so it shouldn't take too long until I'll update again. (Plus UEFA EURO is over :-( Sad for me, good for you!)****  
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><p>Edward decided to go to his room and relax a little bit - well, as much you could call it relaxing when your behind feels like you had bathed it in hot lava.<p>

Tentatively reaching back to rub at his smarting posterior, he let out a little hiss and quickly pulled his hand away. Still not able to rub. Nuh-uh.

_At least it was over for now …_

He lifted his head and looked out of the big, open windows while he shifted his weight impatiently from one foot to another. Hearing nothing but the typical sounds of the night time forest and the rushing of the river coming from outside, he sighed and continued his previous occupation. In his hands he was holding one of his favourite books, and he looked up the parts he liked most. The book was worn, the pages crimped and the spine cracked, the headband lost for more than thirty years already. Even though he had always tried to treat it carefully so it would never look old, he had obviously not succeeded. The book was indeed as old as he was, so seeing it slowly nearing the point of falling apart completely gave him a strange feeling. Melancholy, of course, as well as something else.

He often busied himself with reading paragraphs from his most cherished books, even though he already knew them by heart. It was just something to keep his mind occupied and hopefully make the time pass faster, because there wasn't much he could do right now ... he couldn't sit down, and he didn't want to talk about what happened _again_. Besides, Carlisle wasn't trying that hard anymore to block him out ... he could hear his musings, his thoughts, and feel the unnecessary guilt.

Carlisle sometimes beat himself up over things like that … but Edward thought it to be ridiculous, really. He did earn that tanning, because what happened had been more or less his fault. Oh well, Esme would cheer his father up again. She was not really the disciplinarian in the family, with only a few exceptions, but she wasn't against corporal punishment when it was deserved. And since it was deserved, she, as well as Edward, saw no need to feel guilty about doling out a punishment like that.

But yes, being with Carlisle right now and seeing his sympathetic glances and guilty looks would surely make Edward feel even worse, therefore staying in his room was the better option.

And there was actually yet another reason why he chose to stay in his room ... he was waiting for his Mom.

Esme and the others would be coming home soon, and he wanted to feel his mother wrap her arms around him and just hold him.

Waiting in the living room for her arrival was out of the question, because the way Rose and sometimes Emmett were teasing him he didn't need them as an audience when Esme would hug and coddle him. Yes, _coddle_ him. She was so very motherly to the point that it could get annoying sometimes. But right now Edward just wanted her to come home … he was seventeen years old and wanted his Mom to be here with him... was that pathetic?

He frowned while thinking about it, but then shrugged his shoulders.

Well, even if it was pathetic, he did not care. She was his Mom and he had all the right in the world to want her to console him whenever he was upset and hurting. Screw Rose and her stupid comments.

Besides, Esme had promised she would talk to Rosalie about her teasing, and maybe this time Carlisle would have a word with Rosalie, too. _It would only be fair! __Someone needed to get her off her high horse, once and for all._

So now Edward stood here and lifted his head once every few seconds to listen for the distinct roaring of his brother's jeep that would signalise their soon-to-be arrival.

He let out a deep sigh of relief and a smile spread across his face when he indeed could hear a car heading for the path that would lead to their very well hidden residence in the woods.

Unfortunately he could not see the jeep, because the wall-sized window in his room was facing away from the street and _only_ gave him a breathtaking view of the forest and the beautiful river that passed their house. But he could hear it all right.

He quickly put his book away, then jumped down onto the black leather sofa he kept in his room. Yes, he was the only one in this house who did not own a bed, go figure why that was.

But as quickly as his butt met the soft upholstery, he was already back on his feet, standing stock-stiff like a tin soldier. _That hadn't been a clever move_ he realised, and he waited until the angry burning cooled down again.

_Let's not repeat that for at least a few hours_, he thought and lay down on his stomach.

_Ah yes, way better._

The sound of the car came closer and he could hear every turn it took. It was slowing down when it reached the house and the sound of the garage door being pulled up filled the air.

The engine roared once, then the car sped into the garage and came to a halt with squeaking brakes.

Edward smirked a little, knowing that Emmett would definitely get scolded for that. And if he left rubber marks on the driveway or the floor of the garage, then he would definitely need to remove it. At human speed. Ha ha, when would he ever learn ...

But then he distorted his mouth - when would _he_ ever learn? His temper got him into another unpleasant situation once again.

He could have spent the night at the movies with his family, or running through the forest exploring their new territory. It was too late for the movies, and he wouldn't even dare to think about doing something as running now. He wasn't a masochist, after all.

The sweet, melodic voice of his mother met his ears, and Edward turned his head to look at the door, hoping she would walk into his room any second now. But no, she was still talking to Carlisle, and then he could hear a short pecking sound.

Ugh, he certainly did not want to listen in on _that_. Besides, she could comfort Carlisle at a later time, it was his turn now!

Then, _finally!_ there were soft footsteps heading for the topmost floor, then down the hall and toward his room.

He quickly hid his smile by burying his face in his crossed arms, and then he could hear his mother's knuckles softly rapping against the wooden door.

"Mom?" Edward moaned in a little voice and the door opened.

"Oh, my sweet boy!" Esme exclaimed and hurried over to him. She knelt down right next to the couch and put one arm around Edward's shoulders while she placed her other arm on the couch right in front of him. An awkward hug, but he hadn't lifted his head to look at her and she just wanted to bring him as much comfort as she could and as quickly as possible.

She let her cheek rest against his unruly hair and spoke again.

"Are you all right, Edward? Please talk to me," she begged and pulled away a little when she felt him lift his head underneath her cheek.

Edward turned his head and while letting it rest on his folded arms, he looked sideways up at her.

A sad, little smile played around Esme's lips and she reached out to brush an auburn lock away from his cheekbone.

He closed his eyes at that gesture, breathing in her calming scent. He was so glad that she was here with him now.

But as she continued to stroke his hair, Edward decided that it was time to address the promise his mother had made to him, and he rolled over onto his side. When a small hiss of discomfort left his lips and he quickly lay back down on his stomach, Esme's eyes widened, a spark of fire blazing up in her darkening orbs. She quickly withdrew her hand and rocked back on her heels, asking, "Do I need to talk to your father about -"

"He grounded me, Mom," Edward said quickly, because he could already see her preparing a speech for her husband in case he went overboard with their son's punishment. He didn't want Carlisle to be in trouble with Esme - no, that was all reserved for Rose - so he needed to distract her from that.

But to be honest, the grounding was actually worse for Edward. Being locked up in a house full of couples, day and night ... well, great. Just great.

And he had to admit that he was manipulating her a little right now … he just wanted her to stay with him a little longer and not get the impression that he was all right. And the more she would see him 'suffering', the more Rosalie would be in trouble.

So pretending to be sad and in pain seemed like a good way to go to help Rosalie get the talk she was asking for.

Esme's expression softened and she moved back towards him, then let her fingers run through his hair. "What did you expect, Edward? Do you remember the way you acted?"

Unable to hold her gaze, he averted his eyes and bowed his head in shame. He was embarrassed about the way he had behaved, especially in front of his mother.

"I'm really sorry, Mom. It won't happen again," he murmured and was glad when she lifted his chin with two fingers and smiled at him.

"I know, baby, I know."

He nodded his head and smiled back, but froze when her expression suddenly hardened.

"But if it does happen again, you will have to answer to me, too. You hear?" Her voice was harsh and serious, and the way she fixed him with a stern glare made him cringe.

With wide eyes he exclaimed, "Yes, Ma'am! But I guarantee you it won't!"

Now he didn't like that. Once again he was in trouble for something that was completely ... partly ... kinda Rosalie's fault. But there was one thing his blond sister hadn't reckoned with.

He pretended to absentmindedly reach back to rub some of the lingering sting out, but flinched when his hand made contact with his buttocks. "Ah ...," he gasped and drew in a sharp breath through his clenched teeth. It didn't hurt that much anymore, but Esme wouldn't know ...

"Oh baby, is it that bad?" she asked, her hands hovering helplessly over his lying form. Carlisle would definitely not like the way she babied their son, but she couldn't help it. "Do you need something?"

He glanced at her, then quickly shook his head and buried his face in his folded arms so she wouldn't be able to see his sly smile.

Deciding to go one better, he let his shoulders tremble a little, like he was trying to suppress the need to cry but nearly failing.

Seeing that tore at Esme's heartstrings.

"Sweetie, I'll go get you ...," she said and was already back on her feet, but Edward stretched one hand out towards her while begging, "Please stay."

She looked worried, but then took his outstretched hand in hers and held it while kneeling down next to him again.

"How can I help you, dear?"

"Just stay with me, Mom. The pain will fade of its own, I'll be fine." Uh, he was so brave.

She gave him a worried look, then gently stroked his cheek and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

When she pulled away, she saw a sad look on her boy's face, and it made her frown.

"What is still upsetting you so, hm? Tell me."

"Everything," he replied, groaning.

Esme tilted her head to the side to look him directly in the eye as he was still letting his head rest on his arm on the sofa. "This was a very eventful day for you, wasn't it?" she asked.

And he could suddenly see what she was getting at. Carlisle had briefed her about everything that took place while she had been out and about with the others. Not a pleasurable thought – he had given his father a hard time – but of course Esme would find out one way or the other. And she had something to say to him about that.

"Edward," she said. "You don't need to go hunting together with us, but I want you to take proper care of yourself. You know hunting is a must, and it is not up for discussion. We cannot risk endangering the humans surrounding us. It's not their fault that we chose to move here."

"I know, but I do take proper care of myself, Mom," he mumbled in response.

"_Edward_," she said in a no-nonsense kind of voice. "You ran away because you needed to hunt. And to be honest I don't like that you let yourself get so thirsty in the first place. You didn't even have time to tell your father that you'd be gone for an hour or two."

"Mama, I'm sorry."

Her voice had a hard edge to it when she continued. "And all that only because you let the urge to drive that car overpower your duty to feed. Taking care of your thirst comes first, Edward. It has top priority."

Uh-oh, he quickly had to pull her back into a different direction. She seemed to be getting angry with him, but she shouldn't - she still had a talk with Rosalie coming. Let her vent her anger on the blond devil, not him.

"I know it was wrong, and I cannot apologize enough, but I felt like I couldn't take it any longer. I just wanted to drive, Mom," he said in a half whine, hoping it would evoke sympathy in his Mom.

"We all have to give up things from time to time. Is it that much of a sacrifice it it guarantees you a life in peace? You need to try to substitute your driving with something else."

Edward looked her square in the eye, his face a humourless mask. "Just like Rosalie?"

Esme frowned for a moment until she realised just what he was implying. Rosalie did not like Forks and because she couldn't spend her days at expensive shopping malls or at clubs, she made do with teasing her little brother mercilessly.

"Her teasing will stop, Edward. Let me promise you that."

"You promise, Mom? How can you make a promise like that? You know Rosalie just as much as I do ...," he said with a hint of sadness and glumness in his voice and hung his head for show. _Oh, Rose will burn ..._

"I talked to her before. Now that I see she continued her teasing, I take strong offence in her behaviour, too. She not only treats you without respect, but she disobeyed me."

_Nice._

"But -" His interjection was abruptly stopped by a delicate finger that Esme placed on her son's lips.

"Do you trust me, Edward?" she asked.

In her golden eyes he saw the love she had for him, and when she moved her hand away he said, "Of course I do, Mama."

"Then please don't concern yourself with Rosalie's teasing anymore. Let Mommy take care of it," she smiled and chuckled while letting her fingers run through his hair.

He rolled his eyes at hearing that, but then nodded his head. Yes, he could see in her mind that she would take proper care of Rose.

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><p>Edward had enjoyed the time his mother spent in his room with him, stroking his hair and whispering words of comfort. It was something that would never change and he was grateful for it. But as the time passed he could feel himself getting a little impatient. The curiosity about Rosalie's reaction to Esme reprimanding her was gradually growing until he couldn't take it anymore. Knowing exactly what he had to do to curb his curiosity, he gently stilled Esme's hand and told her that he needed some alone time after a day like that. Of course Esme agreed and after assuring herself that he was indeed feeling better now, she left his room in order to talk to his evil blond sister.<p>

She and Carlisle sat Rosalie down in the living room to berate her, and Edward was the last person to go down there and risk getting into the line of fire. No, he enjoyed his 'box seat' in his room, listening in on what happened downstairs and watching Rosalie through his mother's eyes like he was watching a movie.

Needless to say that Rosalie didn't like her mother scolding her like a little girl and a spat broke out. But it wasn't really worth mentioning because Carlisle took care of it pretty quickly and then asked his wife if she'd like to take a walk with him. They left, leaving a grumpy Rosalie behind.

Alice, Jasper and Emmett waited in their rooms until her feelings had cooled down again, then pooled into the living room to keep her company and watch TV. They plonked down on the sofas and zapped through the channels, wishing to spend the rest of the day as calm and relaxed as possible.

Edward got very much aware of his boredom now - he was alone in his room while his siblings were downstairs enjoying some show. Deciding that a little distraction from this horrible day would do him good, he opened his door and made his way down the stairs to meet up with the others.

The moment he reached the bottom step however, Rosalie turned her head and gave him a death glare that would have scared the whole town away. Emmett noticed her anger and rubbed her knee comfortingly while giving Edward a little, apologetic shrug. He, too, had gotten an earful from Esme, even though his teasing was always more of a joking manner than Rosalie's.

Rosalie took her eyes off him, determined to give him the cold shoulder for at least a few weeks. Her brother was in her bad books now - or maybe he had been all along.

Did Edward care? No, because the tables have clearly turned and now it was his turn to be smug.

He casually strolled over to an armchair and let himself fall down onto the soft, cushioned sitting surface.

But unfortunately it was still a little early to be doing that without having to clench his teeth - he was not feeling completely pain-free yet. As inconspicuously as he could, he placed his left forearm onto the armrest and leaned onto it a little to take some of the pressure off his poor butt.

Of course Rosalie noticed. And instead of continuing to ignore him - which he definitely would have preferred - she eyed him and snorted.

"What, do you have diaper rash?" she sneered and Emmett turned his head to the side so that his little brother wouldn't see him smirking.

"Rose, don't," Jasper said calmly and shook his head at Rosalie. He was sitting opposite Rose and Emmett and had his left arm slung around his mate's shoulders who was stretching her neck to look at Edward.

"Are you all right?" she asked and gave Edward a sympathetic look, completely ignoring her sister's snide remarks towards him. The vision she got hours ago hadn't been quite clear, but clear enough to let her know that her brother got more than just a stern talking-to and a rap on the knuckles from their father.

"Yes, I'm fine, Alice. Thank you," he replied in a strained voice, which made Rosalie snort again. She liked to hear that he was in pain, because in her eyes he deserved nothing less. He had tried to get in her trouble, after all.

"You shouldn't be mad at me, Rosalie," Edward said and fixed her with a glare. "It's you who's at fault here."

"Let's not talk about fault now, all right?" Jasper asked, picking up on the heavy emotions which were clearly tainted with aggressiveness. Rosalie and Edward - always the same. Their 'sibling love' escalated every other year, and because of that he had to run around feeling angry and frustrated and hurt and whatnot - all at the same time. When would they ever grow up and stop this childish behaviour?

But they did not seem to hear him or they just decided to ignore his interjection, because Rosalie was already back in arguing mode. "I'm at fault here? Listen, you whiny wimp, I'm not the one walking around lying my ass off."

"Lying?" Edward asked, clearly offended by that accusation. "I didn't lie about _anything_!"

"Sure you didn't," she replied and rolled her eyes.

"Do you even have the slightest idea of how much trouble I'm in because of you? I even have to do the garden with Esme!"

"Cry me a river, Edward," she countered while checking her nails as though she was bored out of her mind.

He absolutely hated when she did that, so he decided to distract her from her obnoxious habit. "How did your talk with Mom go, huh?"

She lifted her head and her eyes narrowed for a second. She knew full well that he had listened in on the talk and probably enjoyed every second of it, but she didn't want to let him provoke her now.

"Ugh," she uttered, her voice laced with disgust. "Don't talk to me, idiot boy."

"I don't wish to interrupt your pleasant little chat, but Mom and Dad will be back soon, so you better stop now ... it wouldn't end well for either of you," Alice threw in, half buried in Jasper shirt. Together they looked so comfortable, so much at ease, that Rosalie as well as Edward decided to drop their quarrel for the night. Besides, Alice's ability gave them the unique chance of evading an unpleasant punishment, and they should at least show their gratitude by heeding her warning.

Truth be told, her vision wasn't true. She was the one lying here, but how would they know?

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><p><strong>Next chapter will be the last one, guys! But I'll try to get the RosalieEsme story up soon ;-) **

**Please REVIEW!  
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	9. Chapter 9

**Hello my dear readers!**

**First I'd like to say Thank you for your reviews! I am turning into a little review junkie, I really am :-D  
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**And second I have to tell you that unfortunately this is not the last chapter yet. W**hose fault is that? Edward's, of course.****

**I thought I could finish the story today, but then the chapter got way too long and I had to divide it (the second part isn't quite finished yet). It would have been a 10,000 words chapter or something and that is a little too long for me.  
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**Ok, now go ahead and read!****  
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><p>The night went by and a bitter quarrel was prevented by the little fib Alice told and additionally by Jasper's gift. He had managed to calm his two bickering siblings a little to help make the atmosphere more comfortable for the rest of the family - calm and relaxed. Quiet. And neither Rose nor Edward knew it was him! Well, okay, Edward probably knew, but he had welcomed the waves of calmness as they let him forget about his anger towards Rosalie.<p>

After taking a long shower and getting ready for school in the morning, Edward left his room with mixed feelings.

The pain in his backside had slowly faded over the course of the night until it was completely gone. He had breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed, but then a sense of nervousness welled up inside of him and slowly increased in intensity. This pain-free state he was currently in would only last a few more hours, because his father was still determined to follow through with his previously announced punishment.

_Now how mean was that?_ He had to endure boring classes and the inane chatter of high school students until the afternoon, and the moment he would return home Carlisle would no doubt ruin the rest of his day.

But as much as he dreaded that moment, he also wanted for it to come sooner, so this whole mess could be forgiven and forgotten and everything could go back to normal.

He still was hopeful that Esme would convince Carlisle to go really easy on him. She might do that, because he knew from experience that she almost always pleaded their cases. Besides, the second spanking was because he blamed Rosalie ... but it should be clear as day now that she was partly to blame, wasn't it? If Carlisle hadn't known before, then the talk last night must have finally opened his eyes and let him see what major part his precious daughter played in all this mess. Maybe he'd think about it again ...

Edward was on his way to the garage so they could leave for school, but when he reached the bottom of the stairs Carlisle suddenly called him over into the living room.

"Son? Do you have a moment?"

"Sure, Dad," Edward replied and entered the room, coming to a halt right in front of his father.

Carlisle, who had been watching the morning news, hit the mute button on the TV remote then placed it on the coffee table.

"Edward," he said and looked up at his son. "I want you to come home right after school today, all right? We still have something to discuss."

"Yes, Sir. Do you want me to run?" Edward asked. He would be a lot quicker if he just took the shortcut through the forest at vampire speed. Taking the car always slowed them down because they had to obey the traffic laws, especially during the day when people would watch them. But since they didn't even live in Forks and they sometimes tended to be a little lazy or just didn't want to come home soaked because of the constant rain, they were bound to get home the 'slow' way.

"No, no. Let Jasper take you home," Carlisle replied. He figured it would be beneficial for Edward to spend a little more time with his siblings after school – talking to them would calm him and take away the nervousness he was certainly feeling.

But it wasn't for his son's benefit only.

Carlisle needed his son to be calm, because he didn't have the energy left to endure another day like the day before. He was a patient man, but sometimes his patience was running thin and therefore he hoped his son had enough sense left to just let them get this punishment over with today – preferably without the stalling and defiance.

"All right, Dad." Edward sighed and nodded his head.

"_Hey, Ed! Last one to the car is a rotten egg!_" Emmett's voice suddenly sounded from upstairs, then his big, brawny bear of a brother raced down the stairs and into the garage at full speed.

"Emmett! No running in the house!" Esme called from the laundry room, but Emmett was already sitting in his car, grinning to himself and marvelling at his quickness. Edward had been way closer to the car, but he got there first - what a wonderful morning.

"Off you go, son. I'll see you after school," Carlisle said with a chuckle and patted Edward on the arm. Emmett's playful mood this morning would do his copper-haired son good and help him take his mind off things.

Edward sighed. "Yes. Goodbye, Dad."

"Alice? Come, we need to leave!" Jasper called impatiently after Edward had passed him in the kitchen and given him a pat on the shoulder. Sometimes Jasper did not understand how his wife could take forever in the morning to get ready. She could see the future and with their speed they could get dressed within seconds. Plus she always looked perfect - no need to cover her beautiful face with make-up or adorn herself with unnecessary jewellery. Not that he didn't like spoiling her with expensive necklaces or bracelets and watching her jump with joy at seeing the little gifts ... but sometimes she tended to be a little overdressed for school. But alas, let's grant her the fun as long as they would still arrive at school on time.

She appeared in the kitchen a second later - her radiant smile made him forget about his impatience and the time he had spent waiting for her to show up.

Jasper grabbed Emmett's car keys from the counter - he was the assigned driver for the day because his siblings had ruined their chances for a little while. Did he care? No. Driving was fun and it had been raining in the early morning hours - Emmett's car was perfect for that kind of weather. Mud and puddles ... and he didn't even need to clean the jeep afterwards because it wasn't his.

Emmett and Edward were already waiting in the car joking around and laughing, so they only needed to wait for Rosalie.

She trudged into the room shortly after Alice had arrived, making a wry face.

The morning hadn't been any easier for her than the night before had been. She had tried to convince Carlisle to make Esme go easy on her, but she did not succeed and it made her a little unhappy.

"Come on, Rose, we don't want to be late," Jasper said after drawing away from the kiss he had shared with his little Alice.

"She is being unreasonable," Rosalie complained, but then sighed and led the way into the garage.

Just to make sure that they could spend the car ride without snide remarks or arguments, Jasper sent a few waves of calmness towards his siblings. Not strong enough so they would really notice, but a little more than necessary to keep Edward and Rosalie from tearing each other's throats out. Edward was nervous about what the afternoon would hold for him, whereas Rosalie just felt downcast. Maybe these emotions would normally keep people from speaking and just wanting time to oneself, but these two argued instead, blaming each other for their own 'misery'.

Luckily they would never be found sitting in the same classroom, and that thought was incredibly calming for Jasper on this long schoolday they were facing. Only lunch time was spent together, and on this day they could enjoy the time in comfortable silence. Jasper took the quiet as a welcome gift and visibly relaxed while unable to take his eyes off his wife who was watching the usual hustle and bustle of students in the cafeteria with curious fascination. No matter how often they went to high school, she would still enjoy every day like it was her first. She often even tried to imitate the other high school girls to appear even more human, but unfortunately most of her fellow classmates just thought she was weird and tried to spend as little time as possible with her.

The last class was almost over, and even though there were hundreds of humans, Jasper could feel Edward's nervousness peaking.

"Come on, it'll be over in no time," he said when his little brother approached him in the parking lot of Forks High a few minutes later. Alice skipped after Edward, then rounded her brother to give Jasper a peck on the cheek.

"He knows," she said and leaned into the embrace her mate was offering.

"All I know is that I want this day to be over. Preferably _now_," Edward grumbled, then climbed into the passenger seat of Emmett's jeep.

They still had to wait for Rose and Emmett, and Edward was noticeably disgruntled because of that.

"Rose is doing this on purpose to get me in trouble again," he growled and stared at the entrance of the school with gradually darkening eyes. His sister was still not satisfied, ad now tried to stall so he would get another earful from Carlisle before his butt would be lit on fire once again.

"No, she isn't," Jasper replied and shook his head lightly while watching his brother through the open window of the driver's door.

"Of course she is, you have no idea," Edward countered and let his backpack drop to the floor between his feet.

Jasper let out a deep sigh. "Edward, how would she know that Carlisle wants to talk to you after school?"

And Edward huffed. Well, he didn't tell Rosalie anything, but she already knew that they would spend the afternoon in Port Angeles whereas he wasn't allowed to come. Fine, she figured he was grounded which was indeed the case, but right now she was stalling on purpose. Why else would she choose this day to speak to her teacher about her book report which was due next week?

"Can't you just ignore it this one time? Please, the cleverer gives in. Don't mind her and soon she'll leave you alone," Jasper tried to reason with his younger brother. He did not have the feeling that Rose was stalling or trying to anger Edward, but right now Edward was so sure about her being mean again that nothing could distract him from this assumption.

"That's easier said than done. If you were me, you wouldn't say something like that," Edward retorted and looked out of the window, away from his brother.

"Come on, you two just need to stop this nonsense. It's _always_ the same, until Carlisle is forced to put an end to it and both of you are pouting because you are nursing smarting backsides or aren't allowed to leave the house."

Now that was obviously not what Edward wanted to hear. "You know she's asking for it!" he said exasperatedly and looked at his brother in sheer disbelief.

Jasper just shook his head, seeing that this talk was nothing but a waste of time.

"I think Carlisle should be a lot stricter with her," Edward added and crossed his arms over his chest.

_Same goes for you, bro. _"That may be, but you should just learn to ignore her. You two are practically waiting for some kind of provocation; just one wrong word and you're at each other's throats again. Quite frankly, I'm getting sick of it."

Edward glowered at him for the unspoken thought he heard and for his words. "I don't even know why you are trying to get involved now, Jasper."

"I'm not trying to get involved, you are pulling me into your quarrel! I cannot spend a single day feeling like a normal person, because you two are constantly trying to get a rise out of the other one just for the heck of it."

"You make it sound as though it was a game, Jasper, but let me tell you it isn't. She's trying to provoke me _all_ the time. She enjoys it because she obviously has nothing better to do."

That made Jasper laugh out loud. "Look Edward, you cannot fool me when it comes to your emotions. You enjoy it just as much as she does," Jasper said, then perked an eyebrow at his brother, waiting for him to object.

* * *

><p>Jasper dropped Edward off at the entrance of the path that would lead to their home. He would have taken him all the way up to their house, but Edward said he would like to get some fresh air.<p>

"Don't worry, Edward," Alice said and gave him a little, reassuring smile while climbing into the passenger seat Edward had just been occupying. "It'll be fine."

He nodded his head but remained silent. Alice's words were meant to encourage him to find their father and get it over with as well as to soothe his nerves, but he just didn't feel like speaking. Rose might hear a trace of nervousness in his voice, and soon she would know that his afternoon consisted of getting a thrashing whereas she got off lightly. _Lightly_ wasn't even the right word, because compared to what he was facing she got away with next to nothing.

"You'll see," Alice promised and patted his shoulder with one of her delicate hands.

They said their goodbyes and Jasper steered the car back onto the road.

Watching his siblings drive off and disappearing from view after going round a bend, left Edward with a sense of dejection. He had another 'conversation' with his father to 'look forward to', whereas the rest of the family could enjoy this warm and wonderfully cloudy day to do as they pleased.

Begrudgingly he slowly turned around, then began to walk up the long path leading home, hanging his head and only looking up once every few minutes. The feeling of unpleasant anticipation that was increasing with each step he took would have made his palms sweat if he were still part of a species that could actually sweat. He wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do - wasting time with walking instead of running - but he figured his sympathetic father would grant him these few minutes to himself. Besides, Alice had told him it would be all right.

Sooner than he would have liked their house came into view: a large, majestic residence, one of the most beautiful they ever had. Over the last decades their houses got bigger and bigger, the size always adjusted to the family's needs. Each time Esme did her best when she picked houses and then extended, renovated and decorated them. Her children were old enough to live on their own, but nevertheless she only searched for mansions that would offer more than enough room for all of them. It was partly to show them that they could always visit, were always welcome no matter what they decided to do with their eternal life, and partly it was the wish to create the most comfortable home so that her children would decide to stay with them. She liked having her children close and being able to see them every day - a big family with strong family ties had always been her dream and she felt incredibly blessed that it came true.

The next time Edward took his eyes off the ground, he was already standing in front of the house. Seeing that his alone time had come to an end, he trudged up the stairs to the front door without much enthusiasm. He couldn't help it, because he knew what was waiting for him behind this door. And since he had hunted the day before, there was nothing that could postpone this impending _discussion_. Oh well, he would just have to face what was coming to him. Stoically.

He put his key in the keyhole and turned it until the door opened with a soft _click_. Pulling it out again, he then took one deep breath before lightly pushing against the heavy door, making it open up of it's own accord.

The house was quiet, which wasn't surprising because only Carlisle was home and considering his workaholic tendencies he was probably doing something work related in his office.

Hoisting his backpack a little higher up on his shoulder, he then closed the door behind himself and made his way over to the staircase. He stopped at the newel post for a moment, craning his neck to look up to the next floor.

Actually he had expected Carlisle to greet him downstairs in the living room, or after having heard him entering the house to come down the stairs, but no - his father was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he got lucky ... maybe Esme had indeed pleaded his case. Even though that thought was probably more like a dream or a wish, it suddenly made Edward smile to himself. He had really tried hard to make Esme feel pity for him and make good of her promise and give Rose a piece of her mind. That plan had worked marvellously, and now it suddenly seemed indeed possible to Edward that his mother had convinced Carlisle to let his punishment slide. Alice's words rang in his ears and he was almost positive that Carlisle would be in a good mood and do no more than talking and then skip the discipline part. 'Don't worry' and 'It'll be fine', his tiny sister had said to him and she wouldn't lie in a situation like this.

So it wouldn't be too bad. It might not even be bad at all.

Taking his time to climb the stairs, Edward froze when he heard movement coming from his Dad's study. It made him forget about his musing just now, and he became nervous again, nervous and very unwilling to knock on the door. He listened for what his father was doing - there was the ruffling of paper and the scratching of a pen - and now that Edward didn't just listen with his ears, he could hear Carlisle's thoughts as well. He was solely concentrating on his work and hadn't even noticed his presence yet. A welcome surprise to this otherwise tiresome day.

With a little smile on his lips and a big sense of ease in his mind Edward headed for his room, careful to make as little noise as possible. Once there, he heaved a sigh of relief and shrugged off his backpack before placing it onto the carpeted floor.

It was a little like playing with fire, Edward knew that, but maybe Carlisle forgot about what he had told him this morning? Well, he wouldn't and couldn't actively forget about it, but as long as he was preoccupied with his work the thought of waiting for his son would not strike him. So it would be completely idiotic to find him in his office now and ask for another scolding and maybe a hiding. No, Edward decided that it would be wiser to wait here in his room until Carlisle would be done with his work and eventually remember the time. Let him come looking for him, not the other way round.

After fishing his mp3-player from the back pocket of his jeans, Edward lay down on his sofa and unwound the cord from around the little player. He put the ear buds into his ears and started listening to some rock music that fit his current mood perfectly.

Edward drifted off into his own world as he lay there nodding his head to the beat with his eyes closed, moving his hands like he was air drumming and singing along without actually making a sound. The music made him lose his sense of time and forget all his worries; he just felt so comfortable, so at ease that he couldn't help but sigh with content. But after that sigh for which he had needed to draw a little breath first he suddenly gasped, his eyes going wide with shock.

Carlisle stood there, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed tightly over his chest and he was watching his son intently. His eyes were narrowed and darker than usual, and his gaze was so piercing that Edward froze momentarily. He stared back at his unmoving father, and after the first shock had subsided, he slowly sat up so he wouldn't look as carefree as he had before.

Listening to his music had helped him take his mind off things and because of that he completely forgot about the talk with his father. But suddenly breathing in Carlisle's scent had effectively brought him back to the here and now.

As soon as he was in a sitting position on the sofa and blinked once, Carlisle unwrapped one of his arms from around his chest and took a long look at his wristwatch, pursing his lips while doing so.

_Oh God, how long had he been standing there?_

Tucking his arm back under his other one, Carlisle fixed his gaze back on his son.

Edward's chances of getting off scot-free today just vanished into thin air - Carlisle did not look amused. In fact, his expression was unreadable which happened to be a lot worse than just not amused.

The music was still blaring in Edward's ears, but he did not notice. Due to his shocked state his brain registered nothing but his father's eyes on him and he found himself unable to form a coherent thought. Therefore he made no move to switch his music off.

And that was bad.

A muscle in Carlisle's jaw flexed and he let out a huff, then marched towards his son and snatched the ear buds out of his ears with one smooth - but angry - gesture.

"You're not serious, are you?" he demanded, looking positively enraged.

"I-"

"You better switch that blasted thing off before I do it for you," he threatened in a deadly tone of voice that did not bode well for Edward. Carlisle was more than just a little unhappy with his son's behaviour, because to him it seemed that he wanted to talk himself out of this with some petty excuse – just like the day before.

Edward took in a sharp breath and pulled his mp3-player out of his jeans pocket with shaky fingers. He pressed two buttons, then placed it in his father's waiting hand. He did so begrudgingly, because Carlisle looked like he wanted to pulverise it.

But no, he took it over to the big desk, and after trying to wind the cord of the ear buds around the player but failing due to the irritation he felt, he just dropped it onto the table surface and let out an aggravated puff of air.

He placed his hands on the edge of the desk and with his eyes closed let his head hang while taking a few calming breaths. He was granting himself a moment of silence before he would be forced to continue just where he left off the day before.

However, this much needed moment of silence was broken by Edward's voice.

"Dad, I-," Edward started to say, but then the words caught in his throat when Carlisle whipped his head around and focussed his still darkened eyes on his son. "Nevermind," Edward whispered timidly and quickly broke eye contact.

"Nevermind? _NEVERMIND?_" Carlisle asked and made two steps towards the sofa, outraged at his son's words. He lifted his hands in the air in exasperation and queried, "Why do you feel the need to do this, Edward? Why are you _continuously_ defying me, huh?"

Edward held his breath because he got the feeling that even the tiniest movement now would be enough to tip his Dad over the edge.

"Answer me!" Carlisle bellowed when Edward just looked at him like a startled deer.

The volume of his voice made Edward flinch and he quickly said, "I'm sorry, I really did not mean to defy you." Unfortunately Carlisle couldn't take this apology seriously, because actions speak louder than words. Edward was behaving just like the day before, so he obviously hadn't learnt a single thing and therefore … couldn't be in the least bit sorry.

"Oh, you will be sorry, son. Let me help you with that," Carlisle said in a voice that send chills down Edward's spine. But he had no time to spare this feeling another thought, because Carlisle was suddenly standing in front of him and pulled him up from the sofa by his upper arm. Before Edward could even realise just what his Dad was doing or rather what he was about to be doing, he found himself bent under his father's arm. Without wasting any time, the palm of Carlisle's hand cracked down on his behind half a dozen times, igniting a fire that hadn't been there mere seconds ago.

"You may try again," Carlisle said and pulled him back up. He tried to look his son in the eye, but Edward felt so embarrassed that he averted his eyes.

That was definitely not what Carlisle had expected from his son just then, but he counted to five in his head, hoping that Edward would make good use of the time he granted him. Five seconds passed, and Edward was still neither looking at him nor explaining himself. Frustration made itself known and Carlisle closed his eyes momentarily; he did not know where his son's defiance was suddenly coming from or why it hadn't ceased the day before. Then to top it off, it seemed that he was petulantly ignoring him, and that was something Carlisle would not tolerate. Opening his eyes once more, he noticed that Edward was still not looking at him.

_Have it your way then, boy._

Another two smacks were applied, and Edward unwillingly yelped at the sting.

"Do I have your attention now?" Carlisle asked, his eyes boring into Edward's.

Seeing the fierce look in his father's eyes and knowing exactly what had caused it, Edward suddenly wished he could crawl under a rock. He felt so incredibly embarrassed by his stupidity. How could he ever think Carlisle would forget about what he told him this morning? Or the way he behaved the day before? He should have listened to Alice when she told him he shouldn't worry and it'll be all right, because then he wouldn't be in this horrible situation now. She certainly had seen a different future than what actually took place as soon as he came home from school. He might have gotten off easy, with nothing more than a little reminder, but now he realised that that was not going to happen. No, he just made it worse, a lot worse. "Yes, Sir."

"Good. Then please explain to me why you decided to ignore my request to find me as soon as you came home. Why do you feel the need to challenge my authority, son?"

Edward looked desperate at his father's question. He really was a professional when it came to offending people it seemed. "Dad, I'm not challenging your authority, I'd never do that!"

Carlisle's eyebrows went up so high, they almost disappeared in his hairline. "So defying my every word is a display of your _respect_ for me?"

Regrets over his stupid decision to sneak past his father's office and stay in his room were gnawing on Edward. He had effectively offended his father, and the timing couldn't have been worse."No, it's ... I respect you, I always respect you," he replied in a meek attempt to soothe his father's anger and his own guilt. Carlisle had been a father to him for more than eighty years, had provided him with love, safety and understanding, and now he offended him in return.

"You have an interesting way of showing it, son," Carlisle replied in a voice that held traces of anger and disappointment, while giving his son a scrutinizing look. He saw him squirm under his gaze and when Edward averted his eyes again, Carlisle let out a low growl.

Pointing to a vacant corner in his son's room, he said, "Go place your nose in that corner over there and don't you dare move."

Edward's head shot back up and his eyes got wider and wider when he realised that his father was dead serious about this.

Interesting, now he finally had his son's full attention and it looked like he didn't really like the thought of standing in a corner like a naughty child.

_Good, maybe this will teach him to stop acting like one._

"I'll be back in an hour and if I get the feeling you moved even a quarter of an inch, I'll give you a hiding that you won't forget anytime soon."

"But-" Edward's objection came out sounding a wee bit like a whine, and Carlisle was more than just fed up.

He pinched the bridge of his nose with the thumb and index finger of his left hand, while he held his other hand up to stop Edward from continuing. "Not another word, Edward."

Swallowing hard, Edward then nodded his head before making his way to the corner Carlisle had pointed to.

"Don't. move.," Carlisle reminded him, then left the room and closed the door behind himself.

Edward could hear the sound of his father's footsteps growing fainter as he walked down the hall and then descended the stairs. But Edward decided he wouldn't move.

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><p><strong>Frustrating, huh? It was supposed to be a short little chapter with maybe some fluff to wrap the story up, but ... *sigh* <strong>

****Hope you didn't mind, but sometimes it is really hard to guess the length of a story when the characters are .. well, when it's Edward. I swear that guy is so ... gah!****

**Please leave a REVIEW guys!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello!**

**Here comes the last chapter of this story! I know I've kept you waiting for far too long, but I hope you still wanna read it!  
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**And Thank You for your reviews, pms and your patience, guys!  
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**Warning: Spanking in this chapter! If it offends you, don't read! I have a story about some Cullen sibling-bonding and Bella is making an appearance as well ... so maybe that would be better suited for the ones of you who don't like this story here!**

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><p>Edward did not know what had possessed him that he would defy his father so much lately. His rebellious teenage hormones must be pushing through again - he had no other explanation for it. Years ago he had made up a theory that the way he felt whenever they moved was following a certain pattern … and now he was certain that his theory was indeed right: The younger the humans surrounding him, the younger he acted, too. Yay, high school! The problem was probably that their carefree way of thinking and their stupid thoughts that constantly buzzed around in his head were rubbing off on him, who knew … but it would explain his stupidity and inability to take responsibility for his behaviour … and the fact that he constantly let his sister provoke him.<p>

Guilt weighed heavily on him when he thought back to what happened in this room a few minutes ago. He had pushed his father so far, that the last spark of patience left in his father had vanished into thin air. When that had happened, Carlisle changed into coven leader mode, taking on a slightly different kind of personality. Well, not really different, but a lot more authoritative than usual. Carlisle normally held it back when it wasn't 'needed', because he wanted his children to grow up in a family surrounding just like their class mates, letting them live a next to human life. It helped them stay in contact with their human side, help them develop a conscience and give them a more satisfying goal in life than just roaming the country, mindlessly killing humans for their blood. He didn't want them to live such a useless life and become cold and cruel creatures – no, they were better than that. Carlisle's way of raising them encouraged them to keep human morals, and it worked.

But just now Edward had probably blown his chance of facing his father instead of his coven leader after the hour would be up. It had only been on a very few occasions that Edward had managed to push his father so far that he had to assume his position as the leader of this coven to teach his son what's what, to reign him back in.

Stupid stubborn vampire nature, stupid rebellious teenage hormones, stupid assumptions ... even if Esme had talked Carlisle out of punishing him today, her attempts would have been useless after that display of blatant ignorance.

But even though Carlisle had been really mad, he had left the situation - for Edward's and his own benefit.

Carlisle's instruction that he should go stand in a corner was an attempt to keep this matter a father-son matter, more than something between coven leader and coven member.

This punishment of standing in a corner was short, yes _short_, because standing somewhere for an hour was just as relaxing as lying down on a bed, but it would indeed make him think things through now.

Getting glimpses of his father's thoughts, he knew that Carlisle was trying to calm down and think straight. Carlisle was also testing Edward, to see if he would run or disobey him again. He wanted to find out if today was only a 'little' aftershock of yesterday's events or if Edward was really developing a little problem recognising authority. In addition, he clearly needed a break. Edward had managed to make his Dad's blood boil, even though this day was meant to turn out fine. And Edward knew Carlisle wouldn't give him a sound hiding when he was that upset with him. A few smacks meant as a wake-up call – yes. But no more.

* * *

><p>In his office, Carlisle slumped down in his desk chair. He needed a moment to collect himself, because his nerves were strained and the situation in his son's room seemed more than just a little unreal.<p>

He obviously hadn't made an impression on Edward yesterday, otherwise his son wouldn't keep on acting like he had left his manners behind in Alaska two weeks ago ... or lost them on the way to Forks.

Maybe he should have just given him the spanking he was asking for, right on the spot...

No, it was better to grant both of them some time to cool down and think about the situation. Edward could definitely start to learn using his brain again, because otherwise his life in Forks wouldn't be as beautiful as it could be.

Scooting closer to the desk, Carlisle put his elbows on the table top before burying his face in his hands. He remained like that for a few minutes, trying to keep his head void of any thoughts whatsoever. It would help Edward concentrate on thinking about his behaviour and it was an attempt to help himself relax, even if it was only for a few moments.

When he looked up again, he checked his wristwatch for the time and noticed that more than thirty minutes had passed already. That time had served to help him feel calm again and more at ease. Sitting up straighter, Carlisle then tilted his head from one side to the other, just like people were doing when they wanted to get rid of the tension in their neck and shoulders. Then he intertwined his fingers and stretched his arms out. Realising that he couldn't get rid of the last bit of tension he was feeling - because his muscles obviously weren't the issue here - he then groaned and leaned back in his chair, squinching his eyes shut.

_Oh, how he wanted to take a vacation with his wife! _Get away from their daily routine and just relax somewhere. Let the children do whatever they want - and if they destroyed the house or burned it to a cinder, he did not care right now. Having so much responsibility was weighing heavily on his shoulders and sometimes he did not know how he managed to still function.

He had tried his best to remain patient the day before, to grant his son time to think about what he would do or say. It was the first time since they had moved to Forks that one of his children really stepped out of line. Did he expect them to act up sometimes? Yes. Could he ignore it? No.

It was his job to keep this coven, this _family_, functioning and healthy. They would only be safe and strong as long as they could rely on each other. But seeing Edward defying him over little things weakened the strength of this unit, leaving their armour cracked. He couldn't ignore this kind of behaviour; in case of being threatened and not having Edward listen to him might be the end of several members of his coven. He was responsible for all of them and they trusted his competence of being their leader. He provided safety and they had to provide him with obedience and respect in return.

What made Carlisle especially nervous was the place where it was happening. Over sixty years ago, when they had stayed in Hoquiam not too far from Forks, they had come to an agreement with the leader of a wolf pack - a wolf pack that could easily wipe out his whole family. But as long as they wouldn't cross the treaty line and make sure to stick to the terms of their contract, each party could live in peace without being forced to attack. Carlisle had spent quite a while discussing the terms with the elder, making sure peace would be bestowed between them. In case a difficult situation occurred – let's say nomad vampires invading the area and feeding off several humans, leaving their bodies scattered across the forest ground – then his family could get blamed for that. If the leader of the wolf pack wouldn't have enough control over his whelps and failed to hold them back, then his family might end up dead. But the same thought occurred when he thought about his family's reactions. Edward did have quite a temper and he didn't like getting blamed for things he did not do. He was very defensive and did not react well to provocations. If that case occurred and Carlisle couldn't count on his son's obedience and he would be heading off doing whatever he wanted, then all their lives would be at stake. Would he risk this? _Definitely not._

Sometimes he had to use his authority as a coven leader when he dealt with his children – making them see the seriousness of their actions. No matter if he liked it or not - he could never be just a father to his children, just like he could never be just a coven leader.

When he checked the time again, Carlisle noticed that another fifteen minutes had passed after he had been completely absorbed in his thoughts once again.

Letting out a deep sigh, he got up from his chair. There was no need to wait any longer, this situation had to be taken care of. He needed to restore order in his home, his family, his_ coven_.

He walked over to his door and opened it instantly. All the way up to his son's room he braced himself for whatever would happen next. Additionally he asked himself what would happen tomorrow, or the day after that. Was Edward planning on making a habit of defying him just because? Why did he feel the need to act out like that?

Sooner than he would have liked, Carlisle had reached the top floor. He took the last necessary steps to reach his son's room, then placed a hand on the door handle. He halted for a moment to take a deep breath, bracing himself for the talk to come, then lifted his hand and let his knuckles rap against the wooden door.

"Come in," Edward replied. He was still facing the corner when Carlisle entered his room and closed the door behind him.

Carlisle breathed a silent sigh of relief at seeing that his son had minded his instructions and had remained standing in the corner just where he had told him to stand.

"Edward, son," Carlisle said and took another few steps into the room. "I am glad that you did as I told you. Would you come sit with me now so we can talk?"

"Yes, Sir," Edward replied immediately, turned around and approached his sofa. He sat down and folded his hands in his lap, then watched his father with an uneasy as well as apologetic look in his eyes before he bowed his head.

Carlisle retrieved Edward's desk chair and pushed it over to the sofa, placing it right in front of it so he could face his son while they would be talking about what happened.

When he was seated, he let his elbows rest on his knees and folded his hands just like his son had done. He let them lean against his lips for a moment, then pulled away and cleared his throat.

"Edward?"

And just like he had hoped, it made Edward lift his head and look him right in the eye.

"Let us talk," Carlisle said softly, but with authority in his voice.

Edward's face scrunched up a bit at hearing his father's words. But it wasn't out of displeasure about the talk they were going to have, but about what led to this talk. His behaviour, to be precise. He had stolen and lied, defied his parents, disobeyed them and got chastised for it. Then, when he actually knew the next talk and consequence would be lighter, a shadow of the previous punishment, he decided to act childishly and refused to take responsibility for his actions, _again_.

"Dad, I am truly sorry about my actions - yesterday and today. I know you would appreciate an explanation, but I don't even know myself what drove me to act in such a way. It might be a mixture of several reasons, so I cannot name a specific one that would explain just what exactly I had been thinking when I defied you again today."

Carlisle listened attentively and had to admit that he was incredibly glad that Edward seemed to have sobered up and be the responsible young man he knew he could be. This made the whole situation easier, because they could have an actual talk now and not just exchange empty promises. "You seized the time to think about everything I assume?"

"Yes, I have." Edward nodded his head and gazed into his father's golden eyes.

"Let us break it down a little and try to get to the bottom of the matter." Carlisle did believe that there were several reasons involved in Edward's misbehaviour, but without addressing them, this problematic situation would probably never end.

"Yes, sir."

"What happened at school that you would come home and ignore my request to find me immediately? I would just like to understand. You agreed this morning and I had the feeling you wanted us to get this out of the way just as much as I do. How come you suddenly decide that listening to music is more important that this matter?"

"I don't know," Edward replied and hung his head.

"You don't _know_?" Carlisle asked incredulously and turned his head away for a moment. After taking a deep breath, he turned back toward his son, waiting for him to lift his head once more and look at him. "Edward, we don't get anywhere if you only give me answers such as 'I don't know' or avert your eyes. _What did you think about during the last hour?_"

"I was nervous," Edward uttered.

"Nervous? What made you nervous, son?"

"I didn't know what to expect when I would come home," he admitted.

A frown appeared on Carlisle's forehead. "I'm confused, son. I arranged for the rest of the family to come home at a later time so we would have enough time to discuss what happened again and get your punishment over with."

Edward had been aware of that, and knowing what he would face at home had made him a little nervous. But there was something else – something he himself was to blame for. "I ... I hoped Mom would have convinced you to go easy on me. Besides, Alice told me I shouldn't worry, so I thought Mom had … well, succeeded. And when I came home ... well, you were busy and I thought we'd probably just have a little talk and no more. I figured you thought there's no rush."

"Edward," Carlisle said and shook his head, a little laugh of disbelief escaped his lips. "what's going round in your head? You jump to conclusions and completely ignore what I told you this morning. That is behaviour fitting for a stubborn little boy but not you, Edward."

Shame washed over Edward at hearing that he had acted like a young child. He didn't like being compared to a child, but right now he couldn't argue about that – Carlisle was right.

"Edward, I have the feeling that you were nervous because you knew your 'guess' wouldn't come true, but you still hoped for it. So you just blocked out your responsibility and did as you pleased. You _wanted_ to evade the situation."

Edward opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again when he could see that Carlisle was replaying a memory in his head. But not any memory – it was the memory of him lying on his couch listening to music, to be precise. He lay there, completely carefree - it was the ultimate provocation. A teenager, lying there like he couldn't care less what his parents were telling him. An obstinate boy, who refused to take responsibility for his actions. Unfortunately, it did seem like he _wanted_ his father to find him like that.

"Do you know what _that_ tells me, Edward?" Carlisle asked and eyed his son, who was now shyly looking up at him. "You don't take the rules in this house seriously, and therefore don't take your mother and I seriously."

"No! Dad, I -"

"Hear me out, son," he admonished.

Edward looked uncomfortable, but then nodded his head. "Yes, sir."

"We set rules to maintain a structure in our family, to provide you with a safe surrounding so you don't need to worry about our exposure or any other kind of danger coming towards you. Last night that structure and safety wavered. Furthermore, by blaming Rosalie for your behaviour you tried to put her in the place of being responsible for the wavering safety. That was unrightful."

It really was. Had Edward really succeeded in convincing his father that Rosalie was solely to blame, then what? She would have been treated unfairly, might have left or acted up afterwards or withdrawn herself back into the shelter of her cold-hearted dismissive attitude, making it even difficult for her husband to break through that tough exterior. That would have weakened the strength of their coven.

In addition, Edward's abysmal behaviour would go unpunished. What would that have meant for the rest of the coven? Edward's manipulation would have been effective, showing him that he was right because his father would see Rosalie as the culprit, not him. Manipulating someone was also a typical vampire trait, something Carlisle didn't want his children to get away with. It was the first step to letting them lose their grip on humanity and their conscience, and he couldn't let that happen. He owed them a peaceful live with all the amenities they could ask for, and he wanted to make damn sure to be able to provide them with that.

Carlisle just couldn't tolerate behaviour like that, as it endangered the rest of the family who trusted him with their lives, trusted him to keep them safe. So in order to be fair and live up to his responsibility, he had to keep order and keep everyone in line - or cast the person out. He didn't want to do that. So as long the offender wanted to remain a part of this coven of his own free will, he had to obey the rules and the chastisements his misconduct warranted.

"I know," Edward mumbled.

"You know? You know it's unrightful? Then why did you try and do that even though you know it's wrong?"

Edward swallowed heavily. "I was panicking yesterday and said the first thing that came to my mind. I apologised for that, Dad."

"Yes, you did. And you knew that today you'd receive a punishment, but then you tried to evade it, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did," he admitted. It was the truth, and he couldn't wriggle his way out of it.

Carlisle sighed. "Why, Edward? I punished you yesterday, you seemed contrite and not like you would go and continue your defiance that you showed so much the day before. What happened that you decided to defy me yet again?"

Shame-faced, Edward averted his eyes again, much to the his Dad's displeasure.

"Look at me and answer my question, son. I believe you owe me that much after pleading you respect me."

Edward lifted his head again, his eyes holding a hint of pleading. "I have no explanation for that, I'm sorry."

But Carlisle knew that there was an explanation for this. He even had the feeling that he might know exactly what it was, even if his son claimed he didn't.

The reason for his son's defiance today might be the talk he and Esme had with Rosalie last night. Edward had to face a long grounding and two spankings for his misconduct, whereas Rosalie got off remarkably lighter for her teasing that Edward saw as the main reason for all this mess. Edward must have listened in on their private conversation and was disappointed by the outcome. Oh, it was really getting annoying for Carlisle that his teenage children always had the feeling of being treated unfairly.

"Is this about Rosalie, Edward?"

"What do you mean?"

"You tell me," Carlisle replied.

Edward started to fidget a little, because his father's mind remained silent to him. So now he would have to admit to what drove him to defy his father once more. He couldn't shake the feeling that his father knew something ... he must have figured out what bothered him to the extent that he would mindlessly defy his father again out of teenage petulance.

"Um...," Edward started, then nervously cleared his throat. "maybe."

"Just say it, Edward. No more beating around the bush, no more lying. Tell me what your sister has to do with you defying me once again."

Oh dear ... could he really say it? The last hour had helped him to think about everything again, but he knew his father wouldn't like his explanation and probably wouldn't accept it as a legitimate excuse for his behaviour.

He shouldn't have let his stubbornness show again ... he should have just followed his father's instructions and definitely ignore his sister's involvement in all this. But now it was too late. He just had to tell his father the truth - he respected Carlisle too much to keep on trying to weasel his way out of this. Everything that happened the day before and the stupid mistake he made today was something he wanted to forget about, leave it behind and be back on good terms with his father.

"I didn't think it's fair that she got off that lightly. And I didn't want to grant her the satisfaction of learning that today I would get disciplined again," Edward said and watched his father's gaze harden.

"Sir," he added quickly, and Carlisle just took a deep breath while rubbing his closed eyes with the thumb and index finger of his right hand.

"Is that what you still think?"

"No, Sir. I got the chance to think about my behaviour once more and realised just how wrong my reasons had been."

Carlisle liked hearing that, it meant that his son was finally taking responsibility for his actions. "But you still think your mother and I were too lenient with your sister."

Edward cringed a little under his father's steady gaze. "I assume it would be better if I keep my opinion to myself, Sir."

"You are not in trouble for voicing your opinion when I ask you for it. Just let me remind you to do so respectfully."

After a moment of hesitation, Edward spoke. "I think she got off lightly, because she is a girl and played you. You always let her get away with much more than you would let me. There are worlds between her punishment and mine."

Carlisle nodded, glad that his son would tell him honestly what he thought about this. "Do you know why your punishments aren't the same?"

Edward nodded his head and swallowed, embarrassed about his previous idiocy. "I do realise that my petulance today and blaming her for my behaviour yesterday are wrongful acts that are far more severe than her teasing, so now I do understand why you didn't choose to correct her the same way."

"I'm glad you notice that your offences haven't been equally severe. And I am glad that we can talk calmly about what happened without getting other members of this family involved. Your explanation already implied that you understand why I would choose to administer another spanking today. Another one, because I do not condone lying in my family and blaming Rosalie for your actions was just that. Do you agree that a warning wouldn't be sufficient for a misconduct of that degree?"

"Yes, Sir. I agree," Edward said to his father. He still would prefer to be spared that punishment, but he had to admit that he deserved it.

"And do you agree that your defiance today is an offence I cannot ignore?"

"Yes, Sir."

Carlisle was – despite the circumstances – proud of his son for admitting to his mistakes. He was glad they were finally getting somewhere without having Edward acting petulant or defensive. "Do you know why?"

"I defied you yesterday and I know you were lenient with me because we just moved here and started school again. You hoped my defiance was a one-off and I wouldn't repeat it anytime soon," Edward said, then paused for a moment. Now he was disappointed and angry with himself for what he did today, and it was hard having to sum it up for his father. "Today I indeed repeated that mistake, which would lead to the conclusion that I don't take you seriously and challenge your authority as my coven leader, because I refused to follow your order."

"What does that mean, Edward?"

"As our coven leader you provide us with safety and ask for our obedience in return. If one of us fails to obey you, it impacts everyone, because there is no relying on that member of the coven anymore." Oh God, he felt so bad. He had defied the person he loved more than anyone, _his father and coven leader_. The person who had brought him into the world and would do anything for him – the person he could always count on. But Carlisle couldn't count on him, his actions had proofed it.

"Are you a person I cannot rely on?" Carlisle asked after taking a deep breath.

"I don't want you to think of me that way! Dad, please! I did so much wrong that I understand if you don't want to put up with me anymore. I failed you, _countless times, _in less than 24 hours." And then Edward felt tears prick his eyes. Now that he thought about everything again he realised that Carlisle would have more than enough reason to wish to get rid of him now. He wasn't a good son or a good brother, he wasn't a reliable member of this coven, he - the soulless creature that he was - wasn't even good enough to deserve a mate.

"Edward, I would never send you away. Don't you ever think that, son. I love you, just like I love all of you. Not knowing if you are safe, not being able to see and talk to you ... I cannot imagine what that would be like and I don't want to imagine something like that. Please don't ever think I would want to make you leave - the opposite is the case, son."

"But I defied you, offended you ..."

"Yes, you did and we will deal with that. But the thought of making you leave would never cross my mind. Do you understand that?"

"Yes. Dad, I am really sorry for the way I behaved. I'll do better from now on, I promise. I am so ashamed of myself ...," he whispered and suppressed a sob.

Carlisle reached out and placed a hand on his son's shoulder, giving it a comforting rub. "I am disappointed in you, son. I know you can conduct yourself a lot better and I know that you are a responsible young man. Your behaviour lately left much to be desired, but that doesn't change you being my son."

The time for punishment had come and Carlisle took his hand from his son's shoulder. He saw how sad his son seemed at the loss of his comforting touch and he would have loved to just wrap his arms around him and comfort him until he would feel better - but he couldn't. This next definitely unpleasant part would not be administered like a regular spanking, because Carlisle needed to make sure that his son understood the severity of his actions. But his resolve faltered as he watched his son looking so miserable with thick venom tears in his eyes and hunched shoulders. Edward felt guilty and wouldn't fight him on whatever he would decide to do with him now.

"Edward, I need to make sure that you learn your lesson once and for all. Your punishment yesterday had obviously not left a lasting impression, so now I will see to it that lenience won't cloud my judgement again. You lied to me yesterday by blaming Rosalie, and today you willfully defied me, disrespected me. This will not happen again, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Unfasten your trousers and bend over the backrest of the sofa," Carlisle ordered while getting up from the desk chair and pushing it to the side.

Edward obeyed immediately.

He got up and unbuttoned his jeans, then stood behind the sofa. Pushing his jeans as well as his shorts down to his knees, he then bent over.

Edward was in position so fast that Carlisle got doubts again, even though he knew he should stay resolute. It was just the way he would have to administer this spanking now. He normally preferred having his children lying over his knees, because he knew they found the contact comforting. But with an infraction like this - defying him, trying to evade punishment - he had to make sure that his son knew he wasn't dealing with his compassionate father right now but with his coven leader.

He found himself standing on his son's left side and took a deep breath. "Give me your wrists, Edward."

Edward, whose weight was supported by the cushioned backrest of the sofa, reached both his arms back and felt Carlisle taking his wrists in his left hand before pinning them to his back. It was a significant gesture, even though it wasn't necessary for administering the punishment. Carlisle would immobilise his son to basically show dominance, whereas Edward's compliance let Carlisle know that Edward accepted Carlisle's position as his coven leader. He showed trust by letting him immobilise him, as well as that he yielded to him completely.

"Brace yourself," was all Carlisle said before letting his hand forcefully crack down on Edward's bare behind. Normally he would ask his children if they were ready or if they wanted to say something before they would begin. But this time he couldn't do that, because Edward had yielded to him. He was the only one in charge now, Edward had no say in his punishment.

As the swats rained down, building up a mean burn in his buttocks, Edward tried to remain stoic. He felt like he owed his father that much after the way he had behaved. And this time he had a lot more to expect because his father told him that yesterday he had been lenient.

_Lenient_ ... and now he was getting disciplined for several misconducts, one of them 'proving' to his father that yesterday's punishment had left him quite unimpressed.

Somehow it was good being in this position right now, because it meant it would be over soon and then he would make damn sure to not find himself in this position again - for a very long time.

Carlisle kept the intensity the same, there was no variation of speed while he covered Edward's behind with punishing smacks, but he was by no means going easy on him. Edward had blown that chance the moment he decided it would be a good idea to go to his room and listen to his favourite music instead of taking responsibility for his actions. Sometimes he really felt more like a five-year-old ... a cowardly child that would seize every chance to get himself out of trouble again, even if it meant that someone else would get the hiding in his place. If Rosalie would have to endure this smacking right now, she would probably go ballistic and then getting teased by her would be the least of his worries.

No, he was a man and he would take this punishment like a man.

A man with tears in his eyes ... a man who had a seriously sore behind by now … a man who wanted his Mom to come home as soon as possible so she could make it all better! _Ouch,_ _Carlisle's hand hurt!_

He tried so hard not to evade that hand, to show his father that he regretted his behaviour and deserved a punishment. He wanted to ease the guilt he was feeling for being so disrespectful to the man who cared for him so deeply that it hurt. Having disappointed someone was one of the worst feelings in the world and having forced Carlisle to let his coven leader side show could count as one of the most stupid acts he had pulled in a while. That was a lot for one day.

When he got the feeling that Carlisle doled out harder swats now and judging by the pain that was already cursing through the sore flesh of his behind, Edward knew he couldn't remain silent for much longer.

A loud sob filled the air - and it took him a moment to realise that it wasn't his father who had started crying freely. Venom tears blurred his eyesight and rolled down his cheeks, little yelps and sobs escaped his lips.

He didn't know how long he had been lying here already, and he didn't know how many more smacks he could expect to receive from his father.

When his arms suddenly dropped to his sides, he was completely startled and stopped crying for a second. He hadn't fought against the hand that held his wrists to his back, hadn't tried to cover his behind in an attempt to shield it from the painful slaps. He hadn't tried to push himself up from the sofa and he also hadn't tried to wipe at his tears. But nevertheless, Carlisle had let go of his wrists, and then placed his free hand on his son's back, rubbing it comfortingly while still delivering punishing swats.

The hand that was now bringing comfort stilled and put a little pressure on Edward's back. Confused about yet another unexpected change, Edward then learned what his father was planning on doing.

The next sharp smacks were aimed for his sit-spots and thighs. The light pressure on his back was just meant to keep him in place so Carlisle could finish up, delivering the last part of the spanking to this very sensitive area without having Edward squirm away.

Edward bit the inside of his lip; attempting to remain stoic once more was proving harder than he would have thought, because he could taste venom a moment later and a few yelps still managed to leave his lips.

With one last deafening crack, Carlisle's right hand landed on Edward's behind before it dropped to his side while the left hand started to rub comforting circles on his son's back again.

"Ssh, Edward. It's all right, it's over. You did well, son," Carlisle said and removed his hand from his son's back, which immediately drew a whimper from the boy at the loss of contact.

Quickly and carefully, Carlisle replaced Edward's underwear to regain his modesty, even though the sharp hiss that emitted from his lips told him that he probably didn't care at all about his modesty right then.

"Dad," Edward cried when his father didn't put his hand back on his back. He reached behind himself with one arm to check if his father was still standing next to him when he suddenly felt how two strong arms pulled him up into a standing position. Without thinking Edward fell into his father's arms and noticed that Carlisle wrapped them around him, hugging him close while whispering soothing words and 'I love you's', over and over again.

Edward seemed to cry harder at first, but while Carlisle rubbed his back in a comforting manner and placed a kiss on his hair he calmed gradually and his breathing became calmer.

"Come," Carlisle said and guided his son with one arm around his shoulders to the front of the sofa. He sat down and pulled Edward to sit on his knee. It was a little awkward because Edward was already seventeen, but right now he didn't look it. He looked like a contrite little boy that was seeking comfort from his Dad who was more than willing to provide him with love and care.

"I love you so much, Edward, you are my first born and will always have a special place in my heart."

"I love you, too, Dad," he replied while looking into his father's golden eyes and trying not to fidget too much. His bottom was sore and would be for the rest of the day, no doubt about that.

Carlisle smiled a little, then wiped a tear away that was making its way down Edward's cheek. "I hope you understand that I don't wish to have a repeat of yesterday's and today's events. This is so unlike you, son. You are a responsible young man and I fail to understand why you acted out like that. What is going on? What is frustrating you to that extend that you behave like that?" he asked and watched his son glance at him before looking away.

And then Carlisle knew he could still trust his gut feeling. Something was burdening his son, pestering him, and hopefully now he would be willing to open up about it.

"I ... I don't know. It's stupid, I'm just ...," he uttered, seemingly unable to really voice what's bothering him.

"Do you want me to call your mother? It is all right if you don't wish to talk to me about it, but I'm sure you would feel better if you talk to someone."

Edward bit his lip for a moment, noticing that the wounds he had inflicted on himself were already healing. "She's not here."

"No. No, your mother is not here, but I can call her for you, Edward," Carlisle said before he realised that Esme was not the one his son was referring to.

He took a deep breath, then reached out and smoothed his son's unruly hair away from his forehead, knowing Edward had always found comfort in that gesture.

"You'll find her, Edward. If I am certain about one thing, it is that you will find your true mate. There is not a single doubt about that in my mind."

"She's not here."

"She might not be here, but she'll be somewhere, waiting for you just like you are waiting for her."

"What if she hasn't even been born yet? What if ... what if ...," Edward mumbled, clearly distraught about all the possible 'what ifs' there might be, even though right now his mind didn't provide him with more.

"Edward, listen to me. Nobody can tell for sure when or how you'll meet, but it is going to happen."

"It hasn't happened yet ... it might very well never happen."

Carlisle chuckled at his son's stubborn statement, completely startling the boy. "I waited over two hundred and eighty years for you mother, Edward. Jasper waited more than eighty five years for his true mate, Alice."

"So? Rosalie only had to wait for the duration of her newborn phase, not longer. And during that time she didn't even _want_ a mate. And Emmett didn't have to wait at all. Why is that? It's not fair," Edward replied and sniffled once, trying to rid his nose of the excessive venom that was blocking his nose.

"Edward, please don't compare yourself with your siblings. They got … lucky," Carlisle said and patted his son's hair. It was weird to say that Rose and Emmett got _lucky_, because the circumstances of both their transformations were really more tragic situations than actual luck. But yes, they were meant for each other and it was beautiful to see them being so happy together.

Edward knew he couldn't do anything about finding his future wife but wait patiently until the time would come. Maybe it would happen soon, maybe not.

"You'll find her, Edward."

"The moment I find her I'll be mad at her for letting me wait so long," Edward said and rubbed at one of his eyes – the venom stung a little.

"I think you'll be overjoyed the moment you find her and nothing else," Carlisle replied, smiling.

"I'm not sure." Edward made a face, making his father laugh.

It was great that they were able to spend some time together to do some talking, just the two of them. Yes, what led to them being alone had been something neither of them wanted a repeat of, but thankfully that was all in the past now.

"You'll see, son," Carlisle promised, his eyes twinkling.

* * *

><p>Carlisle had stayed upstairs with his son for a while longer. It felt good, it felt like all those years ago when it was just the two of them. They talked and laughed, until Edward 'kicked' his father out. He needed some time to himself to rub the sting out of his behind, change into a venom-free shirt and think about everything once more. So in order to do all that, he asked Carlisle if he could call Esme for him. And Carlisle did, of course. He knew how much comfort Edward found in his mother's presence, and he, too, wanted Esme to come back home. He wanted everyone to come home so they could maybe have a family night, watching a movie or just talk.<p>

"Hey Daddy," Alice said and hugged her father from behind. She had gone looking for him the moment they had arrived home and she found him sitting on the porch, knowing that he was exhausted. That's why she decided to come find him.

"Hello sunshine," he replied and kissed her cheek while patting her hair with his right hand.

She stood up straight again and stepped in front of him, looking at him with a contemplating look in her eyes. "You look tired, Daddy."

He just laughed.

"Can I get you something?" she asked and tilted her head to the side, waiting for him to tell her how she could help.

"No, baby, I am fine. But thank you," he replied.

She squinted at him, her little nose crinkling. She wasn't sure if he was indeed fine, but he was getting better, she could tell.

After a moment of silence she said, "Okay. Can I go see Edward?"

"Of course you can. Go make sure he's all right," Carlisle told his petite daughter, knowing she must have seen what happened on this day. And she had probably checked the future for when Esme would be leaving Edward's room again so she could be the next one to go check on him.

"Oh Daddy, of course he's all right. Don't beat yourself up, you've doled out enough today," she said, then giggled and vanished into the house when he reached out to give her a little smack.

He chuckled and leaned back in his chair, breathing in the fresh evening air that smelled of the forest and the river nearby. With one elbow propped up on the armrest and chin in hand he looked around, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude flooded his heart as his thoughts drifted to his wife and children again and the life he was living.

* * *

><p><strong>THE END!<strong>

**Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed this story! Thank you so, so much!**

**I'll try to put the first chapter of my Rosalie/Esme-story up in a few days. It will fill in the gaps, because it is basically a parallel story :-)  
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**Now ... oh! Please review!  
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